The Silver Lining
by DisneyHead
Summary: Sequel to the show. After the loss of their home, the Gummies are struggling to adjust to life in Ursalia. When the Great Gummies return, the bears must examine their options regarding peace with humans while also dealing with personal problems arising.
1. Chapter 1: Sleepless night

**Chapter one: Sleepless night**

Zummi could hardly sleep that night. It had been two days since Igthorn's defeat, and his mind was racing with images of the last night in Gummi Glen. The memories were of beams collapsing everywhere, of running through the dust to find a safe place to hide, and of his friends' yells of shock and horror. If only he had not dropped his guard the other night…

Moving all their supplies to Ursalia was going to be a long and hard chore. They had spent the first day in Ursalia recovering from their ordeals, and then returned to the Glen to prepare for the move. Since the journey was almost a day in itself in the quick cars, the Gummies had decided to camp in a tent for the night and get to work bright and early in the morning. If Grammi had had her way, Zummi would have stayed in Ursalia recovering from the injuries he had received from Duke Igthorn's attack. But Zummi would not hear of it. It was his fault, after all, that they had lost their home; at least he should help his friends as much as possible.

Finally giving up on catching some sleep, Zummi put on his hat and glasses and sat up in his sleeping bag, looking around. A beam of moonlight shined through a small opening in their tent, illuminating his friends' silhouettes. They seemed to be fast asleep, exhausted by the day's journey. But one sleeping bag was empty. Zummi squinted a little through the darkness, trying to discover who was missing. Then it came to him: Gusto was not there. Normally Zummi would not worry about this, since Gusto always had a habit of wandering off when, as he'd say, "inspiration had struck," but they were in the middle of the forest in a very exposed location, and it did not feel right to Zummi to let a friend wander off by himself. As quietly as he could, the elderly bear stole out of the tent and looked around. If he did not find Gusto soon, he would have to tell Gruffi, something Zummi wanted to avoid. Giving Gruffi something to worry about was nasty business even at the best of times. Luckily, it was not long before Zummi had found the young artist. Gusto was sitting on a nearby rock, with a lantern by his side, and seemed to be sketching something. Zummi approached him cautiously, not wanting to break his concentration or startle him.

"Gusto?" he whispered softly.

Gusto looked up. "Hey, Zummerino. Whatchya doing up?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing."

"Ah, you know me. I gotta work when the inspiration hits," Gusto answered with a somewhat guilty smile.

"I know," Zummi sighed. "But it's roo tisky, uh too risky to wander off by yourself at night. I know your old enough, but we're out in the open."

Gusto looked back at his sketch and sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, Zummi. But a lot has happened lately, and… well, this is just how I deal with it, you know? With my art. Besides, I wasn't all alone out here, Artie's with me."

Zummi glanced at a nearby tree, and sure enough, there was Artie, perched on a low branch, sound asleep. How the toucan put up with Gusto's "nightly inspiration whims" was a mystery to all the other Gummies.

The older bear sat down beside the young artist, glancing at the sketchbook. His eyes widened a little. "That's Gummi Glen."

"Yeah," Gusto replied. "I drew it from memory."

"It's really good."

Gusto smiled at him. "Thanks."

Zummi was silent for a minute. "Does it really help? Your art? I mean…" He struggled to find the right words. It was never easy for him to let the younger Gummies know he was in pain.

Gusto seemed to understand, though. He put down his pencil and gently touched Zummi's shoulder. "Yeah, it does, Zummers. It really does. I noticed it when I was alone on the island. Before Artie became my friend, my art was the only thing that kept me going." His throat tightened a bit. Gusto quickly grabbed his pencil again and resumed his work. Zummi took this to meaning he should leave, but didn't want Gusto to stay unsupervised. He decided to back off a little so he could keep an eye on Gusto from a distance, but as he started to move away, Gusto turned his attention back to him.

"You never told me why you couldn't sleep tonight."

"I.. uh…" Zummi swallowed hard, staring at his feet. "I'm a little nervous… I guess. I haven't seen the Glen since…"

Gusto gave him a pitying look. "We already told you no one's blaming you, Zum. If Iggy hadn't planted that termite on you, it would have just been someone else. He obviously planned it for months."

"I know, it's just… I shouldn't have given in to that temptation."

"Temptation?"

Zummi sighed heavily. "I wanted to meet the Great Gummies more than anything, and I knew I didn't have much time… I'm not young anymore, and if they don't come back soon, I know I'll never meet them. I guess that's why I let myself believe it was safe too easily."

Gusto was a little taken aback by this. He knew all the Gummies wanted to meet their distant relatives across the ocean, but he never thought of how this was a matter of urgency for Zummi. When the Gummies had taken him in after Gruffi and Tummi had found him on the island, Gusto had always thought of his friend as bears that would always be around. He should have known better after all he had been through, but he pushed those thoughts out of his mind when they came. He quickly cast around for something comforting to say.

"But you will meet the Great Gummies soon. They said they'll be back, and they know about the risk involved."

"Yeah, but what will happen when we try to explain how Gummi Glen was destroyed?" Zummi's voice shook a little. He was beginning to feel chills run down his spine and he trembled a little. "It was hard enough giving them the news through the Gummiscope…"

"Then they'll stay in Ursalia with us," Gusto told him with a firm, brave face. "Or maybe they can help us rebuild the Glen. They hadn't given us a reason to think losing the Glen changes things. I'm sure they don't expect things to be the same after five hundred years."

Zummi tried to compose himself. "I hope so. I mean, I hope you're right. I just can't understand why they've decided to come back now after what happened."

"We'll find out when they get here," Gusto said, looking back at his sketchbook. "I think that enough for now. We'd better catch some zeeze, Gruffamundo while have a fit if we fall asleep while working tomorrow."

Zummi almost managed to smile at this. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go."


	2. Chapter 2: The aftermath

**Chapter two: The Aftermath**

The next morning was a tough one for the bears. Their bodies were stiff and sore from sleeping on the ground and from the cold night air, and the fact that they knew this was probably the last time they would be seeing Gummi Glen meant that no one was in a particular good mood.

"C'mon, everyone, breakfast is ready," Grammi called to them. She had prepared breakfast from wild mushrooms and herbs while the rest of them folded the sleeping bags and took down the tent.

"Uh, Grammi, is it suppose to stick to the bowls like that?" Cubbi asked her. He was trying his best to shake the gooey substance out of his bowl after failing to pry it out with his spoon.

"Sorry, Dear, I guess it's just a little overcooked," Grammi told him sympathetically. "I'm just not used to cooking on a fire in the outdoors."

"Well, that takes care of today's excuse," Gruffi grumbled under his breath.

"I think I'll pass on breakfast this morning, Grammi," Sunni said, a little too hastily.

"You try making breakfast for seven bears without a proper kitchen!" Grammi snapped.

"No, no… it's not that!" Sunni quickly amended. "It's just… I'm still full from dinner last night, and… I don't want to work on a stomach full of mushrooms."

"Mushrooms are good for you, pumpkin," Grammi said, a little more softly.

"I can eat her breakfast," Tummi suggested, which was just like him in an argument over food.

"Oh, whatever," Grammi grumbled, more from being tired than anything else.

No one was foolish enough to prolong the argument. They ate (or tried to eat) the rest of the meal in silence. Even Sunni had a bite here and there so as to not offend Grammi further.

"C'mon, Gummiamigoes," Gusto tried to sound cheerful when they had finished their breakfast. "We've got a lot to get done."

"Why can't you ever get cranky like normal Gummies?" Gruffi asked irritably. He motioned to the other Gummies to follow him to the site of the wreckage.

It was a while before they could bring themselves to start working. Just staring at the sight of their ruined home had made them all very somber. The moment passed in silence as though to honor someone who had died.

Finally, Gruffi brought them all down to earth. "Well, the work won't do itself."

"Yeah, you're right, Gruffi," Zummi said, in a somewhat distant voice. "We'd better get started."

* * *

><p>Several hours later, a young boy was cautiously making his way toward Gummi Glen, carrying a few water canteens and a large sack of food. It was difficult sneaking all those supplies out of Dunwyn Castle, but do it he must. He owed his friends his help after all they had done for Dunwyn and himself in particular. He wished he could do more to help them, but he had seen the ruins Gummi Glen was left in, and knew that there was no way the bears could repair it. It was with a heavy heart that they had informed him and Calla of their intention to move to Ursalia.<p>

It was not long before Cavin sensed that he was being followed. Twice he was sure he heard footsteps, but when he turned he saw no one. The third time, however, he could no longer ignore it. He nervously grabbed a stone from the ground and looked around, prepared to defend himself.

The noise came again, this time from a nearby tree. Cavin clutched the stone tight and held it high. "Okay, whoever you are, you'd better come out now!" He tried to sound braver than he felt.

"Cavin, don't strike! It's just me," a girl's voice answered him.

Cavin could only stare in shock when from behind the tree stepped out none other than Princess Calla.

"Calla!" Cavin cried when he finally found his voice. He instantly dropped the stone. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to see the Gummies, same as you," she scowled, half cross, half amused at Cavin's reaction to her appearance.

"Why didn't you tell me you were there?" Cavin asked, offended.

"I knew you would tell me to go back to the castle. Now it's too late for that."

"You know we'll both be in trouble if your father finds out you've been sneaking out!"

"I don't care!" Calla snapped. "I haven't seen the bears since Igthorn's last attack on Dunwyn, and Father has been more protective than usual ever since! Do you know how hard it has been, trying to get away from all the knights? They're not letting me breath anymore, and if the Gummies are moving, I can't count on Sunni to come visiting me again, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to visit her in Ursalia! It's a lot harder sneaking there!" Her eyes stung now.

"Calla, I know how you feel," Cavin tried to appease her. "I'll miss them to, but it's still too dangerous for you to…"

"I can take care of myself, same as you!" Calla insisted. "And I also owe the bears for what they've done for us. Now come on, we're wasting time here."

Cavin sighed, defeated. There was too much truth in what Calla had said to argue, and now that they were in the middle of the woods, there was no point in trying to make her go back to the castle alone. "Okay, I'm sorry. Let's go."

* * *

><p>"Tummi! Help me haul these beams out of here!" Gruffi ordered, after carrying several ruined beams that were blocking the passages to the rooms.<p>

"Okay," Tummi said, grabbing one of the ends of the pile, while Gruffi carried the other. After moving the pile away from the work zone, Gruffi managed with some difficulty to utter, "Now put them down."

Tummi let his end drop. It was a heavy load.

"Pick…. them… up… " Gruffi growled through clenched teeth.

"But you said put them down!"

"NOT on my FOOT!"

"Oops, sorry!" Tummi hurried to free Gruffi's foot. "Uhhh… I think I'll help the others now." With that, he hastened to get away from Gruffi's glare.

The rest of the bears were carefully moving from ruined room to ruined room, carrying sacks and searching for any belongings they could still save. They were to be loaded in the quick cars they had brought from Ursalia, and the holes in the ground would have to be filled at the end to hide any evidence that the ruins in the forest were once a home for Gummi Bears.

Grammi stood in the kitchen, shaking her head in frustration. She thought of how Tummi had once left the soap machine overflowing, Zummi accidentally starting a fruit tornado, Airiels wreaking havoc in the Glen, but nothing compared to the mess she now saw before her eyes. The kitchen was simply unrecognizable. The cabinet doors where almost completely gone, and the floor was covered with sawdust and broken glass.

"No matter how big a mess I've seen, there's always a bigger one to follow," she muttered bitterly to herself. She knew she would have to clean the floor just a little to get across. She looked around and finally spotted a broom nearby. It was too far to reach, so she had to use her apron trick to pull it closer.

Just then, Cubbi had walked in, dragging his sack behind him looking exhausted and miserable.

Grammi turned to face him. "Cubbi, dear, don't come in here now. I've got to sweep this floor."

"What's the point?" Cubbi asked her. "We're gonna have to tear the place down soon, remember?"

"I have to get what I can from here first, and the floor's covered with broken glass," she answered. Her eyes fell on the sack. It looked almost empty. "You couldn't recover much from your room?"

"No," Cubbi told her sadly. "Just the wooden plaques Gruffi made for me and some clothes. My toy chest fell through a hole in the floor."

Grammi gave him a pitying look. "All right, sweetheart," she told him gently. "I think you could use a little fresh air. Maybe you could carry some of the lighter sacks outside now? Tummi could help you load the quick cars."

Cubbi sighed heavily and turned to leave. "Okay."

Several moments later, Grammi was again distracted from her work by the sound of a loud crash. Startled, she rushed out of the kitchen and tried to figure out where the sound had come from. She wasn't the only one. Gruffi, Sunni, Gusto and Artie met her in the main hall, looking just as worried.

"What was that?" Sunni asked.

"I think it came from the library," Gusto answered.

"Zummi!" Gruffi called out. "Is everything okay?"

The five of them made their way to the library, where they found Zummi clutching the door handle, narrowly avoiding a large hole in the floor that was full of remains from the ceiling. He didn't look hurt, though he was rather shaken.

"Land of Goshen!" Grammi cried out. "Did all this happen just now, or…?"

"No," Zummi answered weakly, as Gruffi grabbed his arm, leading him to safety. "The cave-in happened the other night. I was trying to go around to get the books out, and I guess I stepped on a weak spot...I… I didn't see the hole."

"How can someone miss this hole?" Gusto asked in disbelief.

Gruffi, however, was thinking along different lines. "Are you out of your mind?" He snapped at Zummi. "Coming in here after a cave-in like that, just for books?"

"I can't replace those books!" Zummi snapped back, a little defensively. "I've spent a lifetime recording the knowledge of the ancient Gummies and saving their old books…"

Gruffi groaned. Zummi's devotion to the ancient Gummies was sometimes too much. "We've got enough to worry about without you getting hurt again!"

"Are you okay?" Sunni asked Zummi.

"I think so," Zummi answered, avoiding Gruffi's eyes. He wished he hadn't mentioned not seeing the hole. "You can get back to work now."

Sunni nodded and left.

"Hey, Artie," Gusto suddenly turned to the toucan. "Maybe you can try to save some of the books? You're not in danger of falling in."

"Awk! Will do," Artie squawked. "Get one of the sacks by the door, I'll fill it up."

"It's okay, Zummers," Gusto told the elderly bear. "Artie's on the job. You can try something safer now,"

Zummi glanced at Artie, who was already fishing out books from the ruins with his feet. He didn't much like the idea of his books being dragged around in the air like that, especially when the binding could tear easily, but he didn't want to seem ungrateful.

"Leave it," Gruffi ordered Zummi. "Go work on your room now. The library's too dangerous."

"Fine," Zummi agreed reluctantly. "Thanks, Artie," he called back at the bird as he left.

Gruffi turned to Grammi and Gusto. "We'd better get back to work too," he told them.

Grammi had a sudden idea of her own. "Artie, when you've finished, do you think you could look over the kids' rooms? Maybe you can save some of their smaller toys."

"No problem," Artie answered her.

Grammi smiled at him. "It sure is great to have a flying friend at a time like this. It's really nice of you…"

"Awk! Nice nothing," Artie answered. "If Cubbi doesn't have his toys with him, he's going to play dragon with me all day."

Grammi smiled at him, and the three bears went back to work.

* * *

><p>Zummi was about to enter his bedroom when he noticed Sunni fishing some sort of long piece of cloth out of a dirt pile beside what used to be her own room.<p>

"Hey, Sunni, what's that you got there?" Zummi asked, moving closer to her.

"It's my old holiday dress," Sunni told him gloomily. "It's pretty messed up now."

Close to, Zummi was now able to make out the dark green frock Sunni had last worn for Fall's Farewell two years previously. Now it was covered in dirt and torn in several places.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sunni," Zummi told her gently.

"Well, it wouldn't fit me now anyway," Sunni tried to console herself. "But I was hoping I'd have something to wear when we welcome the Great Gummies."

"Don't worry," Zummi comforted her. "I'm sure Grammi will be able to help you with that. She was talking about making new clothes for you and Cubbi soon. You kids grow up too fast," he added fondly.

Sunni tried to smile, but within a second both bears were distracted by the sound of footsteps coming from the main hall, making their way toward them. Those footsteps did not belong to Gummi Bears. Startled, Zummi put an arm around Sunni, prepared to protect her if he had to.

But Sunni soon realized who was coming their way, being able to see better than Zummi, and she broke free from him in an almost sudden movement and ran excitedly toward the visitors.

"Sunni, wait!" Zummi cried after her, and hurried to catch up with her.

"Calla! Cavin! You're both here!" Sunni yelled happily when she reached the human kids.

"Sunni!" Calla cried out in equal happiness as she hugged her best friend. "I was so worried I wouldn't get a chance to see you before you left!"

By this time, Zummi had managed to catch up to the group. He was a little short of breath from rushing over without actually running. He clutched his side for a moment, which was beginning to throb, but managed a relieved sigh when he saw who the company was.

Nevertheless, he could not refrain from telling Sunni off for worrying him so. "Sunni, you know you're not supposed to run off like that with the Glen in this state," he tried to sound severe, but was too relieved to see friendly faces to really be angry. Moreover, he did not want to scold Sunni too much in front of Calla.

"I'm sorry, Zummi," Sunni said defensively. "But I was just too excited about seeing Calla and Cavin…"

"But you could've been hurt," Zummi replied, a little more gently. "If anything else had happened…"

There was no need to say more. Sunni cast her eyes to the floor, suddenly realizing what this was about. She and Cubbi had nearly been killed after spending the night at Dunwyn Castle before Igthorn's nearly fatal attack, and Sunni knew now that Zummi had witnessed the castle walls collapsing on top of them.

"I'm really sorry," Sunni said, more sincerely this time. "I… I promise I'll be more careful."

Zummi gave her a weak smile, letting her know all was forgiven. He then turned to the humans.

"Thanks for coming, both of you," he told them in a strained voice.

"Well," Calla smiled. "We couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye."

"And we brought you some food and water," Cavin added, looking at Zummi with some concern. He did not look very healthy. There were shadows under his eyes and Cavin saw him clutch his side repeatedly.

"Oh, great, thanks," Zummi beamed at the children. "Well, let's go fell our triends, uh.. tell our friends."

The girls were already on their way, but Cavin held Zummi back a minute.

"Zummi, are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"I'm fine," Zummi told him, but not quite meeting his eye. "Just a little tired."

Cavin looked at him skeptically. "You look like you haven't slept for days. And I know you're still in pain from Igthorn's attack."

"I'll be okay," Zummi said softly. "I just… well… I guess I'm just not over everything that's happened yet. And it's not easy leaving Gummi Glen either."

"I know," Cavin told him sadly. "I still don't know how I'll get used to not seeing you guys every day."

Zummi cast his eyes downward. He was not ready to say goodbye just yet. He quickly tried to come up with something matter-of-fact to say. "Did Sir Tuxford let you off duty?"

"Ah, yeah," Cavin answered, a bit taken aback by the sudden change of subject. "He thinks I'm visiting my Grandfather, he knows he hasn't been well lately. I'm staying with him for a while."

"How's he doing now?" Zummi asked him in concern. He had visited Sir Gawain several times in the past year, and knew his health was slightly deteriorating.

"It's not that serious," Cavin told him a little too quickly. "But I think he'd like it if you could try and visit him soon? Maybe after you've settled in Ursalia?"

"I'll try," Zummi told him softly. He wished he could believe Cavin that Gawain's recent health problems were not serious, but he knew things were always more complicated at old age and nothing should be taken lightly.

"Well, I guess we'd better go," Cavin said. "I want to get a chance to say goodbye to all of you before Calla and I go back to Dunwyn."

* * *

><p>"Damn it, Toadwart! Couldn't you find me anything else to eat besides these putrid fungi?"<p>

Duke Igthorn was fuming. Since the fall of Drekmore, he and Toadie had been stranded through the woods, searching for any ogres who might return to their boss, and for a new place to set up headquarters.

"Oh, most forgiving one," Toadie groveled at the duke's feet. "Poor, worn out Toadie could not find anything else except poisonous berries and raw eggs."

"URGH…. That is beginning to sound good right now," Igthorn whined, pacing and running his fingers through his now dirty and messy hair. "Life is just so cruel. If those rotten scummy-bears had not interfered, I would still be sitting on the throne in Dunwyn, instead of this moss covered boulder in the middle of the woods!"

"His Dukeyness must not obsess over what is past," Toadie offered in his uniquely wise way that annoyed Igthorn more that his stupidity. "Dukey must learn to be strong if he ever wishes to be king again."

Igthorn growled and seized Toadie's neck.

"IT'S NO GOOD TRYING TO BE KING AGAIN WITH THOSE MEDDLING BEARS STILL ABOUT, YOU SNIVELING IMBECILE!"

"Oh…. No…. most peaceful one," Toadie managed to choke out. "Simple Toadie meant not to aggravate his Dukey…" he gasped for air. "Toadie only saying Dukey should come up with another-" gasp-"brilliant… scheme… against… Dunwyn… without…nasty…bears…getting….in… the…way…."

Enraged, Igthorn threw Toadie far away, and the little ogre seemed for a moment to have disappeared behind a large bush. A loud crash was soon heard behind it, followed by the furious shouts of a woman's voice.

"YOU MISERABLE, SORRY EXCUSE FOR AN OGRE! HOW DARE YOU CRASH INTO MY CARRIGE LIKE THAT, YOU IDIOT!"

"Lady Bane?" Igthorn asked in alarm. Of course it was Lady Bane, who else would shout at Toadie as well as he always did?

"Toadie is very sorry, your Ladiness," Igthorn heard Toadie plead. "Poor Toadie was tossed again and had no control of where he was landing."

Igthorn knew he had to offer assistance to Lady Bane if he wished to avoid her revenge. He quickly crossed through the bush through which he had tossed Toadie and cleared his throat loudly.

"Ahem… my sincere apologies, dear lady," he said in his most sycophantic voice. "I did not see you coming."

"I can tell," Lady Bane told him coldly. "Or you might have fixed yourself up."

Igthorn flushed at her glare, suddenly remembering his ragged appearance. "Ah, my dear, the past couple of days have been… rough."

"Apparently," the witch replied in the same tone of cold indifference. "What have you been up to, all this time? For a long time now I've though you finally left me in peace."

At the knowledge that Lady Bane had noticed his absence, Igthorn was momentarily unable to do more than grin foolishly at her and babble a few incoherent syllables.

Toadie rolled his eyes in annoyance behind the duke's back. "You're on, most articulate one."

Igthorn immediately returned to earth and cleared his throat again. "My dear Lady Bane, my long absence has been due to my search for the ultimate weapon to use against those meddling Gummi bears. I have succeeded at destroying their home, and in forcing them to give me their juice recipe, and used it to conquer Dunwyn, but alas, those bears have interfered again." He ended bitterly.

"And why are you here now, in the middle of the woods?" Lady Bane asked, her curiosity growing slightly.

"The juice factory I've built in Drekmore has apparently been destroyed, again by those rotten little bears. The whole castle is gone, and my troops have run away," the duke whined.

"Hmmm… so now you're just stuck here with no plan?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. I'm not even sure if there's any point in conquering Dunwyn again as long as those bears are around. I should've disposed of the bears I've imprisoned after taking the recipe from them."

"What?" Lady Bane glared at him harder. "And miss the opportunity of stealing their magic books and all their secrets? It's very lucky you still haven't ruined everything yet."

"But Dukey already had Gummies' magic bookie," Toadie piped up. "But old Gummi wizard flew away on it."

"Is that true?" Lady Bane's eyes widened in excitement. "You had the Great Book of Gummi? And you didn't tell me?"

"My Dear, I would have told you if I had managed to open the book. It was locked and…"

"You need a Gummi medallion to open it, you idiot!" Lady Bane scolded, holding up the medallion that was wrapped around her waist. "So the bears must have taken the book to the great library in their capital. How are we supposed to get to it now? I've searched that city for months once, and I couldn't find the library!"

"Oh, my dear, I'm sure there is another way," Igthorn tried in vain to calm the witch down.

"But Dukey, Toadie thought Gummies' bookie drowned in ocean with old Gummi wizard when his Dukeyness shot him…"

"SHUT UP!" Igthorn yelled.

"WHAT? DROWNED?" Lady Bane hollered, outraged. "I NEEDED THAT BOOK, AND YOU LOST IT FOREVER?"

"I…I'm not sure if it's really gone forever, my lady," Igthorn pleaded. "It's possible the bears retrieved it, I never saw what happened after I fired at the old bear…"

"But why DID you fire at him? He's the one bear that could be valuable to me!"

"I had to stop him escaping, he was warning other Gummies in ships not to come to my trap. But I very much doubt he was-is-valuable to you, I've yet to see him use Gummi magic the right way."

"I don't want him so he could use magic against me! I want him to tell me what he knows about the Great Book and his medallion! If he's a poor spell caster, so much the better! He'd be defenseless if I had him!"

She paused for a minute in her fury, having just realized something. "Did you say more Gummi bears arrived in ships?"

"Yes, I've seen them," Igthorn replied hopefully.

"Then there must be more Gummi wizards and witches among them, and they could have more books! Duke Igthorn, did they escape from you?"

"Yes."

"Good!" Lady Bane exclaimed, ignoring Igthorn's wounded look. "Then there's hope! Quick, we've got to get to my place and plan our next move!"

"Our next move?" Igthorn asked hopefully.

"You want to get rid of those bears too, don't you?"

"But how am I to conquer Dunwyn without their juice?"

"If I can steal their magic, you won't need the juice. Besides, with the bears out of the way there will be no one to stop you."

"That's true," Igthorn considered carefully. "Yes, you're so right my dear. TOADWART!"

"Yes, your Dukeyness!" Toadie stood in attention.

"Fix Lady Bane's carriage. You should have already started, considering you broke it!"

Toadie pulled a long face when Igthorn wasn't looking. "The things eager, hard working Toadie does for his job," he mumbled so the humans couldn't hear. "Toadie get no respect."

"Ah, my dear Lady Bane," the duke gushed in his sickening attempt to woo the witch. "You and me, working together on our evil plots, once again! What could be more romantic?"

"I think I'm going to be sick," Lady Bane muttered to herself.

* * *

><p>The food and water the human children had brought the Gummi bears could not have been more welcome. Even Gruffi was glad for the excuse to take a break from the hard work. It was now the hottest part of the day, and all the bears had blisters on their paws. They had decided to eat outside as a safety measure, as Gruffi was sure the foundations of the Glen would give away if too many of them were inside. Only Zummi could not eat a bite, and sat several feet behind Cavin, avoiding the other Gummies' eyes, hoping the food would distract them from him.<p>

"You guys are gonna have to drag me from this spot," Gusto moaned after lying supine on a thick patch of sun-dried grass near the stream.

"I know what you mean," Sunni moaned. She and Calla sat by the edge of the stream, weaving flower crowns from the last of the summer's blossoms. "All my muscles hurt." She gave a great sigh, letting her flowers drop into the water. Even the simple task of weaving flower crowns was too strenuous at the moment. "I almost wish it were over, if only…"

"If only we didn't have to bury what's left of here, yeah," Cubbi finished for her sadly. He was sitting beside Cavin and resting his head against the human boy's body. "I'm really gonna miss our home."

"Me too," Tummi said. "Leaving our home is hard enough without tearing it down."

"You know," Calla piped up, "I still don't understand why you have to tear down the whole Glen. I mean, Igthorn probably won't be looking for you here anymore. He knows the Glen is destroyed."

"Yeah," Gruffi answered, "but other humans could still stumble upon the Glen by accident. We have to block any tunnel and passage that could give away our existence. We can't be sure it would keep Igthorn out if he does come looking for the Glen, but…"

"Oh, right," Calla agreed sadly. It was depressing to think after all the bears had done for Dunwyn more humans still could not help them protect their home. "I wish there was some way we could help you get your home back…"

"You two have already done plenty for us, dear," Grammi told her softly. "You two have given us hope that there could someday be peace."

"Still, it's not fair that this is happening," Cavin said bitterly. "I can't help but think that if I hadn't asked you to help me save Dunwyn from Igthorn when we met…"

Zummi suddenly looked up from where he sat. Terrible as he felt, he could not let Cavin run off with the idea that their human friends were somehow responsible for their misfortune. He approached Cavin, and his voice was forced calm. "Cavin, don't think for a minute that we're sorry we chose to defend Dunwyn. The past three years were the only period in our lives we felt we were really living up to the Ancient Gummies' standards. And if Igthorn had taken over Dunwyn then, where would we be now? We would never have had the courage to fight him off if it weren't for you, even with Gummiberry juice."

"What are you going to do about your bushes, anyway?" Calla asked.

"We're transplanting them in Ursalia," Gruffi told her. "Thornberry's showed us a patch by an old house yesterday where we can do it. That's where we're going to live. We've already loaded the quick cars with the bushes."

"And I'm going to plant my new garden there," Tummi added.

"Wow," Calla sighed softly. "You really thought of everything."

For the first time, Cavin dared to voice a worry that had been gnawing in their hearts for a while.

"When do you think we'll see you again?"

For a moment, no one could answer, but all of them exchanged significant looks.

"We… we'll still try to sneak into Dunwyn to see you both," Sunni began hopefully.

"But it won't be easy," Grammi added sadly. "Ursalia's very far from here, and with all the extra protection on Dunwyn…"

"We'll manage it somehow," Gusto made a brave attempt to sound upbeat. "There are still the quick tunnels that lead to Dunwyn, and nobody in the castle knows about our secret passages, so they won't be guarded, right?"

"I hope not," Cavin answered. "I really wish we could come to Ursalia to see you. But it won't be easy getting away from the knights for such a long time."

"But you will find some time for us, won't you?" Cubbi asked him hopefully. "You have to! Especially after…" he hesitated for a moment, looking at the others.

"After what?" Cavin asked, his curiosity growing. "Is something else supposed to happen?"

"Well," Gruffi began, "after we told you two we were leaving, we went to Ursalia to try and fix the Gummiscope and we got a message from the Great Gummies… They'll be coming back soon."

"WHAT?" Cavin and Calla cried out together in excitement.

"Yeah!" Cubbi told them, smiling for the first time that day. "You have to come and meet them! There are going to be real Gummi knights, and wizards, and other kids…"

"There might even be Gummi princesses," Sunni told them, also beginning to feel more cheerful.

"Do you know when they're supposed to come?" Calla asked.

"No," Grammi answered. "They just said it would be soon. We hope we'll have fully settled in Ursalia before they come."

"We're probably going to give them a 'welcome home' party," Sunni beamed at Calla. "I hope we have enough time to get things ready, and that you two could come!"

"Wait, wait, wait," Gruffi warned, now in his familiar, suspicious voice. "That's probably not such a good idea. We don't know if the Great Gummies will like having humans in Ursalia. I say we wait until we've told them about you before they meet you," he told the humans.

"But Gruffi…" Sunni pleaded.

"But nothing! Remember how the Barbics first reacted when we tried to persuade them that we can make friends with humans?"

"But the Great Gummies won't try to fight them, Gruffi," Zummi intervened. "They were meant to come back after Gummies and humans could make peace, so it's not likely they'll try to fight Cavin and Calla, is it?"

"But they're coming back when they know it's still dangerous, because Igthorn tried to shoot them," Gruffi insisted. "How do you know they are not coming back to fight humans instead of making peace?"

Zummi gaped at him, looking stricken. He had not considered this possibility. He had always believed the Great Gummies represented everything he believed in: wisdom, the search for knowledge, and most of all… they desired peace. What if all that collapsed with the meeting with the Great Gummies, just like Gummi Glen?

"All I'm saying," Gruffi softened a bit at the look on Zummi's face, "is that we should find out what they think of humans before we introduce them to Cavin and Calla."

"Maybe Gruffi's right," Cavin spoke up. He remembered all too clearly how the knights of Gummadoon had locked him in a dungeon and accused him of being Igthorn's spy. "We'd really like to meet the Great Gummies, but we could wait till you've straightened things out. They might not take kindly to humans after Gummi Glen was destroyed."

"Do they know?" Calla asked.

"Yes," Gruffi answered bitterly. "We sent them a message yesterday. We couldn't explain everything, but we thought they should at least know to come straight to Ursalia, and make sure their ships don't give away our existance. But we can't be sure they'll understand and forgive when we have to tell them why there is no more Gummi Glen."

"Let's not worry about that now," Grammi said, glancing at Zummi with concern. The older bear was shaking rather badly, and his face looked clammy.

"Excuse me a minute," Zummi suddenly stood up, looking harassed. "I just remembered I hadn't checked my room yet…" with that, he grabbed his sack and strode back into the Glen as fast as he could go safely.

Another uneasy moment of silence passed. The others were sure Zummi's sudden departure had little to do with wanting to search his room and everything to do with their discussion about the Great Gummies.

"He's really taking this hard, isn't he?" Calla asked.

"Yeah," Gusto told her, remembering his talk with Zummi from the previous night. "We're glad he survived getting hit by Iggy's catapult, but I think Zummerino took a different kind of beating."

* * *

><p>It was with some difficulty that Zummi managed to return to his room. In his hurry to get away from the others he had nearly fallen through a bad spot in the floor more than once. It was probably not the best idea to go into the Glen alone, but Zummi couldn't help it. He needed a few minutes for himself. For a split second he was relieved to see his room was not terribly damaged and still accessible, but the moment he had taken in what he saw Gruffi's words came back to him so vividly, that he could hardly breathe from anxiety, and he was beginning to feel dizzy.<p>

The idea of having to face the Great Gummies and tell them he had dropped his guard and enabled an evil human to destroy their home and led them into a near fatal trap was horrible enough, but the possibility that an actual war would breakout between humans and Gummies was just terrifying. And what if they really didn't forgive him?

Stay calm, Zummi tried to reason with himself, his breathing fast and shallow. This is only a possibility, that's all. No reason to worry about that yet…

He was soon distracted by a knock on the door. "Zummi? Are you okay?" It was Cavin.

Zummi opened the door to let him in, and saw that the boy was accompanied by Gruffi and Grammi. The moment all three had entered Zummi averted his eyes from them and moved toward his trunk by the wall, trying to move it.

"I'm fine… I just had some trouble getting this out," he lied.

"Zummi…" Grammi joined him, a little exasperated. "You know we understand better than that. And you shouldn't be moving such a heavy trunk anyway."

Zummi didn't answer.

Cavin gave the elderly bear a pitying look. "You're scared of what will happen when they come back, aren't you?"

Zummi trembled slightly, abandoning the effort of moving his trunk; instead, he opened it to sort out his belongings.

Gruffi sighed heavily. "Look, Zummi, I don't want to upset you, I just think we should prepare ourselves for what could happen…"

"You know Gruffi always assumes the worst," Grammi cut across him, her tone half cross, half reassuring. "You shouldn't take it so seriously."

"Like I didn't on our last night in the Glen?" Zummi asked her bitterly, his voice shaking.

The other three exchanged uncomfortable looks, not sure of what to say.

"Zummi…" Cavin gently touched his shoulder. But Zummi only shook his head.

"I know you said you don't blame me," Zummi's voice stated to crack, his eyes filling with tears. "But what will happen when Sunni and Cubbi can't see their best friends as often as they used to? And when we have to adjust to a new house in Ursalia? Or if the Great Gummies decide to leave again when they find out why Gummi Glen…" Zummi slammed the lid of the trunk shut a little harder than he meant to. He buried his face in his paws, shaking with silent sobs.

Cavin knelt beside him and hugged him. Grammi joined them. Her own eyes were now damp too. "Zummi dear, calm down," She whispered softly to him, patting him gently on the back. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise…the Great Gummies will understand."

"How can you be s-so sure?" Zummi asked tearfully.

Grammi hesitated for a moment. "Woman's intuition," she finally said. "And I don't see how they can stay angry after you saved their lives."

Zummi swallowed hard. "I wish it were last year."

"I know," Grammi said gently. "I know it hurts."

Gruffi watched the scene, feeling somewhat awkward. He knew he should also try to comfort his best friend, but somehow he couldn't find the right words. And for some reason it was worse watching Grammi take such a gentle tone with Zummi. Why?

Gruffi cleared his throat loudly, reminding the other three he was still there. They all turned to face him, a little embarrassed. Zummi quickly dried his eyes and tried to steady his breathing.

"Look, I think we should talk later," Gruffi told them, trying to sound gentle. "It's getting late and we have to finish working. It's a long ride to Ursalia."

Grammi sighed heavily and made to leave the room, shooting Gruffi a disapproving look on her way out. Gruffi chose to ignore this and turned his attention back to Zummi and Cavin. "Are you coming?"

"Oh yeah," Cavin sprang to his feet. "I think Calla and I should get back soon, or we'll be in trouble with King Gregor."

Gruffi gave him a curt nod, and left the room.

Cavin turned back to Zummi to help him put his possessions in his sack. Then Cavin saw something in the trunk that caught his eye. It was a book, but there was no title on the cover. Zummi usually kept his books in the library or on the bookshelf in his room. So why was this hidden in the trunk?

"Zummi?" Cavin asked. "What's this?"

Zummi took the book from him and hastily stuffed it into the sack. "Nothing, just a book I started writing a few years ago."

"Like a diary?"

"Not exactly," Zummi hesitated a little. "It's not for secrets, it's more for… for memories," he turned a little red. "Doesn't matter, I haven't written anything in a tong lime, uh, long time."

Something in his tone told Cavin not to interrogate further. "Well, we should probably get back to the others."

"Go on," Zummi told him softly. "I'll be there in a bit."

Cavin nodded and left the room.

Zummi added the rest of his possessions to the sack, but before tying it up he pulled out the book Cavin had asked him about. He opened it to the first page and read the first paragraph he had written in it.

_My name is Zummi. My late wife gave me this book on the last birthday I've celebrated with her. She and I always loved collecting legends about the Ancient Gummies and recording their knowledge and wisdom, but shortly after the plague I have decided to record details of our lives here in Gummi Glen. My friends and I have tried our best so far to preserve the place, and it holds memories that are very precious to all of us. I am writing this in the hopes that when and if the Great Gummies return, they would experience the same feeling of being at home here and will never be forced to leave again. _

Zummi shut the book and quickly stuffed it back in the sack, tying it as tight as he could. He forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat before it became another sob, and then got to his feet, hoisting the sack over his shoulder. He turned around to give his room one last look, and left to join the others.

* * *

><p>It was nearly nightfall when the work was finished and four quick cars were loaded with the bears' belongings. All that was left to do was seal the last tunnel just before they would drive away, blocking their return to Gummi Glen for what might be forever. Cavin and Calla remained with them the whole time, in spite of Cavin's insistence that they can't stay long. Calla refused to leave too soon, and Cavin had to admit he understood. Whatever trouble they would be in with Gregor would be worth spending a few more hours with the bears.<p>

"Well," Gruffi said, trying to put on a brave face and avoid looking at the large dirt pile that was now hiding their home. "I guess this is it."

Cavin and Calla looked at each other, then at the bears. They knew they could no longer put the moment off.

"We… we're really going to miss all of you," Calla said, her voice shaking slightly.

"I'll never have another best friend," Sunni rushed over to Calla to give her a hug.

Cavin moved awkwardly toward Cubbi. "I don't think I'll have another best friend either," he forced a small smile, though his voice cracked a little.

"Cavin?" Cubbi's voice shook even more. "You promise we'll always be best friends?"

"Sure I do," Cavin reassured him. "And you know knights always honor their promises."

"Well, if Unwin or anyone else gives you a hard time, bash them for me, okay?" Cubbi just managed to choke out.

Cavin laughed a little, then turned to the other Gummies to hug them each in turn, as did Calla.

"You two be good, okay?" Grammi told them tearfully.

"Yeah, remember to get enough sleep and eat well," Tummi tried to smile bravely.

"We will," Cavin promised.

"Don't worry, they'll be fine," Gusto told the others. "As long as Cav doesn't try another career in art."

Cavin nearly laughed again, but this time the sound wouldn't come. His heart felt heavier by the minute.

He and Calla paused beside Gruffi, waiting for him to say something.

Finally, he obliged. "I… I never thought it would be so tough leaving two humans."

"I'm going to miss working on machines with you, Gruffi," Calla knelt beside him and kissed him softly on the cheek.

Gruffi turned away for a minute, wiping his eyes. "Darn summer nights," he said thickly. "This humidity always irritates my eyes."

Taking the hint, Cavin and Calla now moved toward Zummi.

The elderly wizard opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn't. He simply hugged them both, not bothering this time to hide his emotions. When he was done he dried his eyes, and only managed to let out a single word. "Goodbye."

The two humans gave them one last glance, then, linking arms, turned away and headed back toward Dunwyn Castle, the Gummies following them miserably with their eyes.

As soon as the humans were out of sight, Gruffi nodded at the others, and they Gummies climbed into the quick cars.

Tummi drove away first with the car loaded with the Gummiberry bushes. Gusto and Sunni followed with the next car with Artie flying behind them, then Grammi and Cubbi with the third.

Gruffi and Zummi remained a few moments behind, giving the others time to leave safely. After a while of silence, Gruffi turned to face Zummi. "Ready?"

"I guess so," Zummi sighed miserably. He pulled a note out of his pocket and stared at it for a moment.

"You did bring the right spell, didn't you?" Gruffi asked suspiciously. With Zummi's history he couldn't help but doubt him.

"Yes," Zummi answered. "I… I just need a moment."

Gruffi lowered his eyes, a little ashamed of himself. He should have known the guilt Zummi was feeling would make the job of sealing the tunnels even harder. Blocking their way back was like taking even more responsibility for the loss of their home.

Gruffi touched Zummi's shoulder gently. "Come on, this is the worst of it," he said in an unusually soft tone. "Let's get it over with. The longer we wait, the harder it's going to be."

Zummi nodded and took a deep breath. He turned around to face the end of the tunnel. It was now or never.

"Cl-um-ose t-um-unn-um-le n-um-ow!"

The tunnel shook for a moment, and then the ceiling began to give away. Rocks and dust fell everywhere with heavy crashes. Gruffi and Zummi had to duck under their seats and shield their eyes from the debris. When they could hear no more crashes, they sat up again and looked back. There was now a solid stone wall where the entrance to the Glen used to be.

Zummi turned to face the front of the car again, one paw over his heart. He was trying to steady his breathing again. It was done. All the tunnels where sealed. Gummi Glen was now gone for good.

Gruffi sat up straight in the driver's seat. His paws trembled slightly as he grabbed the lever and pulled. The last quick car began to run, leaving behind a trail of dust.


	3. Chapter 3: The next step

**Chapter 3: The Next Step**

Lady Bane's fortress was just as Igthorn had remembered it: large and cold, with magical books and artifacts at every corner, and completely spotless. He thought about the dirty castle he had lived in since he was banished from Dunwyn and the forest he had been sleeping in since he lost Drekmore, and his hatred for King Gregor and the Gummi Bears deepened even further.

"All right, sit down," Lady Bane told him reluctantly, waving her hand at the stairs leading to her throne. "But make sure you don't leave any dirt on my carpet."

"Don't worry, my dear," Igthorn told her. He pointed at Toadie, then to the floor.

Toadie sighed in annoyance, and got down on all fours on the floor for his commander to sit on, which he promptly did.

Lady Bane sat at her throne so that she was placed rather high above Igthorn, and snapped her fingers. Two troggles instantly dashed to her side. "Bring us wine," she told them coldly. "And don't spill anything, or I'll use your tails for fur collars!"

"Collars! Collars!" the troggles yelled in horror, and rushed to obey their mistress's orders.

"Now, let's get down to business," Lady Bane said, turning her attention to Igthorn, ignoring his embarrassment at being seated so low. "You said there are more Gummi Bears out there somewhere?"

"Yes, my lady," Igthorn answered. "But I don't know where they are now. I believe they came from across the ocean. I don't know if they will return to Dunwyn soon."

"No, they probably won't," Lady Bane glared at him. "Especially after you attacked them.

"Gummi Bears fled from this land many years ago to get away from humans, and by now most humans believe they are but a myth. I myself didn't know until over a year ago that there were still Gummies left in our land. Before that, I've searched for them in many lands, and in several of them I've found evidence that Gummies lived there, but I haven't found them. I've even led a raid on one of the old Gummi kingdoms, but if there were Gummies living there at the time they must have escaped, or destroyed in the attack before I've reached them. The only useful item I recovered there was this," she held up her medallion, "as well as a few books, but no magic books.

"After years of more searching, I returned to our land, and found a large Gummi city, which seemed deserted. One of the old Gummi history books I've found said the city was called Ursalia, and it contained the largest Gummi library on this continent." Her eyes were suddenly alight with greed and longing. "As I searched it, I came across a very old Gummi Bear, who claimed to be a knight left behind to protect the city. I knew he must be guarding the library. I've searched for months, as I told you, but never found it." She clenched her fist tightly for a moment, then let go. "Then, one day, there were more bears around. After a while I realized they didn't live in that city, so I've relocated my headquarters near Dunwyn, intending to search it next, and that's when you came into the picture. You knew the bears existed, so I knew they were around."

Igthorn smiled to himself. So he was of some use to Lady Bane, after all.

"For the past few months," the witch continued, "after you left, I continued to search for Gummi warrens near Dunwyn, but I've only found small, deserted ones. I realized there probably aren't many Gummi Bears left here, after all."

"No, there probably aren't," Igthorn agreed. "I think there are only seven I've seen near Dunwyn, but there are more in that city you've mentioned… Ursalia."

"That's probably where the Gummies left to after you've destroyed their home," Lady Bane said. "Unless they, too, have decided to flee across the ocean."

"I seriously doubt that," Igthorn told her. "From what I know of these bears, they feel compelled to protect Dunwyn and remain close to humans for some reason; I don't think they will just desert the place."

"But why would so few bears be content to live so close to their enemies and so far away from their own kind? Unless they knew the bears across the ocean would return some day?"

Igthorn pondered this for a moment. "That old Gummi wizard seemed to know they would come before I attacked them. The Gummies must have planned this with Gregor when I took over."

"How could they?" Lady Bane asked suspiciously. "Gregor doesn't believe in Gummi Bears. Don't you remember he refused to help me find them?"

"He was probably protecting the bears," Igthorn told her. "You know what he's like, a soft-hearted do-gooder who's always protecting the oppressed… He threw me out of Dunwyn because I didn't go along with his sentimental thinking."

"But if the bears have Gregor on their side, why did it take them this long to send for other Gummies?" Lady Bane asked. "They would know the king could give them protection against humans who would persecute them."

"Before they were probably too afraid of me to send for them," Igthorn replied.

Underneath him, Toadie rolled his eyes in annoyance, unintentionally letting out a "humph," which resulted in Igthorn pressing down on him deliberately.

"They thought they were rid of me when I was gone," Igthorn added with some grim satisfaction. "That was why it was so easy to destroy their home. They've relaxed their defenses. But when I took over, they must have decided they needed more help."

"And the old wizard warned them of your attack before they arrived."

"Yes," Igthorn replied bitterly.

Lady Bane considered this for a minute, but after forcing herself to look at Igthorn's smug face, she shook her head. "No," she said. "I think you've got it all wrong."

"What?" Igthorn asked in surprise.

"I don't think Gregor knows," Lady Bane explained. "If he thought you were such a danger to creatures that were protecting him, he would have had you arrested at least."

"He hasn't had me arrested all those times I've tried to conquer Dunwyn, so why is that so surprising?" Igthorn asked, disgruntled by Lady Bane's reaction to his theory. He had hoped she'd be impressed at his being so intimidating to the Gummies.

"I think it's more likely the Gummies have sent for the ships without Gregor's knowledge," Lady Bane said, more to herself than Igthorn. "The Gummies across the ocean were too far away to be called for to help with a battle. The Gummies would have left too much to chance if that was their intention."

Igthorn could not argue with that. After mulling this over, he thought of something else. "That would mean the Gummi bears must have sent for their friends before their home was destroyed, if they arrived when they did. They must have thought they could return if I was no longer a threat." He smiled to himself, but suddenly cringed under the look Lady Bane gave him. "And of course… you were not around either, what with searching other warrens and all." He hastened to change the subject. "Though all this doesn't explain why they lived away from the other Gummi Bears all these years. My Lady, I know you want their magic books, but I do not see how we can steal their secrets when we don't know where those other Gummies from across the ocean are."

Lady Bane glared at him again, but did not reply for a while. She seemed to be weighing their options carefully. Finally, she spoke. "I think our best chance is to find out whether or not the Great Book of Gummi and the old wizard survived your attack."

"But how?" Igthorn asked her, dreading her anger but a bit relieved she did not think the situation hopeless.

"Think!" Lady Bane snapped. "We are assuming the bears have gone to Ursalia, right?"

"Yes…" Igthorn thought hard. "So all we have to do is attack the city…"

"Not so fast," Lady Bane told him coldly. "Just how exactly were you thinking of attacking them without an army?"

"Oh, right," Igthorn stared at the floor, crest fallen.

"And the city isn't one we can sneak into easily either, as I remember."

"No," Igthorn moaned. "There are many dangers on the way, and the locals are less likely to be caught off guard. Plus, the city is built on high hills. They will see us coming from miles away."

"Do you have any idea where the Gummies' old home was?" Lady Bane asked in frustration.

"Not precisely," Igthorn answered. "But I have a rough estimate; I've seen bears flee from my termites' attack at an area in the forest that must have been their home. It will be in ruins now, so it shouldn't be too hard to find."

"Perhaps we should search the foundations," Lady Bane suggested. "We might find something that will lead us to them, or discover some magic books they've left behind. Though I doubt they'd be that careless."

"No, that magic book was what the old wizard tried the hardest to protect from me," Igthorn told her. "But they do have secret tunnels and maps that could lead somewhere important."

"Excellent," Lady Bane smiled cruelly. "We'll head there in the morning."

Just then, the Troggles have arrived carrying a tray with two goblets and a bottle of wine. They set the tray beside Lady Bane and darted out of her reach.

The sorceress poured wine for herself and Igthorn. "What we should also consider," Lady Bane told him, "Is what to do with the bears once we've found them. It won't help to simply torture any of them into telling us anything, they outnumber us and there are always some of them that will escape and help the others."

"Yes, perhaps first we ought to find a new army before we actually attack," Igthorn said. "But where could we find one the Gummi Bears would be defenseless against?"

* * *

><p>Cavin carefully lifted the stone from under the corridor floor, which concealed the entrance to the secret tunnel. He glanced around nervously, but there seemed to be no guards in sight.<p>

"Okay, we can go out now," he told Calla.

As quietly as they could, the two children climbed out of the tunnel and placed the stone back.

"We made it," Calla whispered, half relieved, half miserable.

"Yeah," Cavin replied in the same tone. "I guess it was worth the risk to see them one more time."

Calla was about to reply to this when a familiar voice she despised startled her and Cavin. "_There_ you are, your highness. The guards have been looking all over for you."

"Hello, Unwin," Calla replied, her voice heavy with sarcasm. Unwin always had the habit of turning up when he was least wanted (which, for Cavin and Calla, was nearly all the time).

"I hope the pipsqueak page hasn't been leading you into any trouble," Unwin sneered at Cavin. "Your father's mad enough as it is."

Calla suddenly tensed. Had her father noticed she had been gone for so long? For all her talk about not caring what would happen if she could see the Gummies, she did dread her father's punishments.

"I'm really sorry, Princess," Unwin told her, trying to sound sincere but throwing Cavin a malicious smirk. "I'm going to have to report you two."

"Cavin's done nothing wrong!" Calla glared at him.

Unwin snorted. "I really hope your father agrees with you."

Cavin glared at him, wishing he could somehow help Calla out of this.

Unwin held out his arm to lead Calla away, but she turned her back to him and grabbed Cavin's hand. "We can go see him now," she announced, her expression stony.

King Gregor was beside himself, pacing nervously around the throne room. He could not understand how his daughter had managed to slip away from the guards yet again, especially when the castle was so heavily guarded. Moreover, Calla had enough sense not to go looking for trouble, and after Igthorn's last attack on the castle, Gregor had hoped she would be more cautious.

"Where could she have gone too?" Gregor asked his right hand knight and confident, Sir Tuxford.

"I'm sure we will find her soon, your majesty," the knight said reassuringly. "All my men are looking for her…"

Just then, the door opened loudly. "Here she is, my lord," Unwin announced, trying to make his voice as dignified as possible as he lead Calla and Cavin into the room. "I've just caught her in the hall with Cavin."

He gave Cavin a little shove towards Gregor and Tuxford, nearly causing the boy to trip had Calla not caught his arm at the last minute.

Cavin stared at the floor in shame, but Calla forced herself to look at her father straight in the eye.

"Where have you been, young lady?" Gregor asked her severely. "The knights have been spending the whole day looking for you!"

"I know, father," Calla tried to sound brave. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you, but I really needed to get away for a while, the knights have been at my side all the time since Igthorn's attack. I really needed some time to myself, and…"

"I'm surprised at you, Cavin," Sir Tuxford glared at his page. "You should have known better than to lead a princess out of her castle at a time like this, without permission!"

Cavin forced himself to look at Sir Tuxford. "I'm sorry, Sir…"

"Oh, Cavin, you don't have to cover for me," Calla suddenly interrupted. She spoke fast now before anyone could say anything. "I was just hiding _inside_ the castle all day to get some privacy. I only actually left the grounds a little while ago to see how Cavin was holding up."

"Cal… Your highness," Cavin suddenly realized what she was trying to do, and was about to stop her, but she held up her hand to silence him.

"Cavin told me I had to go back and we argued a little, but in the end he insisted on leading me back to the castle and that's when Unwin found us." _And that's not really a lie, either, _she told Cavin with her eyes.

Cavin tried to argue, but couldn't find the right words. After all, he could not tell the king the _whole_ truth.

Gregor and Tuxford exchanged looks. Gregor seemed to be choosing his next words carefully. He knew Calla hated suddenly being so heavily guarded, knew she'd want to escape, but he could not entirely let go of his anger at her worrying him like this.

"Cavin, you may go," Gregor told the boy in the closest to a gentle voice he could manage. "And thank you for returning my daughter home safely."

Cavin glanced at Calla, who nodded firmly at him. He didn't like to leave Calla at a time like this, but knew now there was nothing he could do. _Besides_, he reasoned with himself, _Gregor loves Calla, he would not punish her too severely. Not for long, anyway_.

On his way out, Cavin caught a glimpse of Unwin, who looked extremely disappointed at Cavin getting off scot-free. At the sight of him Cavin couldn't help but smirk.

Sir Tuxford gave the king and princess one more look, then motioned to Unwin to follow him out, leaving Gregor and Calla alone.

"Calla, I'm very disappointed in you," Gregor told her. "If you needed time to yourself, why didn't you simply come to me? I would have understood."

"I thought you would just have me sit alone in my room with the guards outside the door," Calla answered. "I needed to walk around a little by myself. Father, I know you're shaken from the attack, so am I. So is everyone at Dunwyn. But I just can't stand living in fear anymore!" That much was true. Calla didn't even bother to pretend this time. "I've already proven to you I can look after myself, but you…"

"You've proven you can handle yourself as well as the boys, Calla," Gregor said, torn between sympathy and frustration. "But you are no match for an ogre army, or for Igthorn should he attack again."

"But he was defeated!"

"You are still my daughter!" Gregor raised his voice. "Every time you go outside, you give him another opportunity to hurt you! He was stopped many times before, but he always came back!"

"Every time he attacked me before, it was when I was inside the castle, not out!" Calla argued. "I'm not in anymore danger outside than in!"

Gregor glared at her for a moment, then sat on his throne, sighing in frustration. "Calla," he tried to reason with her, his voice softer now."Igthorn would surely try to attack again, and he will try to hurt you if he can. I'm worried about you, and at a time like this, I must always know where you are, to make sure you are safe. I could handle another attack myself, but losing you…"

Calla suddenly felt a strong pang of guilt. She was suddenly reminded of how Zummi had feared that Sunni would injure herself by being reckless. She lowered her head, and approached her father to give him a hug. "Father, I'm sorry," she said softly. "I guess we're both dealing with the aftershock, I… I really don't want us to fight."

Gregor hugged her back. "I know, daughter," he said gently.

Calla sighed. "You're still going to punish me, aren't you?"

"Yes," Gregor said. She _did_ have him worried sick, after all. "Go to your room, and no supper!"

Calla hurried to obey him. Considering what's happened, she felt she got off rather easily. Besides, she wasn't hungry anyway.

* * *

><p>It was nearly dawn when the Gummies arrived at Ursalia. They parked the quick cars on the tracks near a large, stone house that would be their new home. It was a tall, rectangular building. At the top of it was a narrow tower, probably an attic. At the foot of the building there was a garden with foot tall, yellowing grass. Like the rest of the city was before the Glens had spruced it up, this house had an aura of past grandeur, but lack of care for the place has taken its toll on it.<p>

"Well, here we are," Grammi murmured, giving Cubbi a nudge. The youngest Gummi had fallen asleep beside her during the long ride, and was now forcing himself to wake up and climb out of the quick car.

Gusto was the first one on his feet. He stretched and yawned. "We sure are lucky none of us fell asleep while driving," he said wearily.

"Yeah…" Gruffi mumbled thickly, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn. "We… we'd better just get our sleeping bags in the house and sleep in the entrance hall. We can unpack tomorrow."

"I think you mean today," Sunni corrected him.

"Whatever," Gruffi replied.

Tummi glanced at the quick cars. "What about the bushes?" he asked. "Will they last that long in the quickcar?"

"I'll add some water before we go in," Grammi reassured him. "That'll last for a few hours."

"I've already dug the holes for them before we left the other day," Tummi told her. "I think I can stay awake long enough to plant them. I don't want to risk them getting ruined too."

"Oh, alright," Grammi sighed. "But I'll help you. The rest of you get to sleep."

"Fine with me," Gruffi mumbled. "But make sure you two don't fall asleep in the garden."

Grammi nodded and left with Tummi to fetch water from Ursalia's fountain while the others gathered the sleeping bags and headed towards the house.

Gruffi looked at the building up and down. "Not much of a home, is it?" he whispered bitterly to Zummi when the latter had reached his side.

Zummi stared at the building for a moment, unable to answer. Perhaps it was just the pain of losing their old home, but the stone house put him in the mind of the tower in Drekmore in which he had been imprisoned four days earlier.

"Don't worry," Gusto reassured them. "It'll look great once we've fixed it up a bit."

"Yeah," Sunni too tried to cheer up. "It just needs a little redecorating."

"Can we… talk about... it… tomorrow?" Cubbi asked thickly between yawns.

"Right," Gruffi was suddenly brought down to earth. "Standing here isn't helping things."

It was with some difficulty that Gruffi managed to open the door. The door creaked horribly, and a small dust cloud seemed to rise when it finally opened.

Gruffi turned his head from the room. "Try not to breathe too much of this air," he told the others.

They entered the room, carefully watching their step. It was almost pitch black.

"Should I use my lamp lighting spell?" Zummi asked, though somewhat reluctantly.

"No," Gruffi answered, knowing they were all thinking the same thing. "This place probably looks better now in the dark."

"Don't worry, Gruff," Gusto told him. "I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems now. And later I'll help you remodel this place."

"I can't wait," Gruffi muttered sarcastically.

"Can we go to bed now?" Sunni asked, exhausted. "I can hardly keep my eyes open."

"Yeah, but leave the door open for Grammi and Tummi," Gruffi answered.

Gusto found a window near the door and opened it. "Go on, Artie," he told the toucan, who until now was napping on his shoulder. "You can find yourself a tree now."

Artie yawned and flew outside.

After they all set the sleeping bags on the dusty floor (with Zummi and Gruffi laying the extra two for Grammi and Tummi) Sunni and Cubbi fell asleep almost instantly.

Gusto smirked a little. "Wish I could fall asleep that fast."

"Yeah, we could use the peace and quiet," Gruffi said. "I'm going to wait outside for Grammi and Tummi. You guys go straight to bed; we've got another day of hard work waiting for us." With that, he strode out of the room and out of sight.

Gusto turned to look at Zummi as they climbed into their sleeping bags. "I guess you'll have no trouble falling asleep tonight."

"I guess not," Zummi replied softly. His exhaustion was finally beginning to override his tension. It was now the fifth night he had not slept properly since the loss of Gummi Glen.

Before lying down, however, Zummi nudged Gusto gently. "Do you think the others will learn to like it here?" he asked, trying to sound hopeful.

"Don't worry," Gusto said reassuringly. "Once we make this place feel like a home, they'll love it. And you can get used to any house when you've got a family with you." He smiled at the older bear. "I know I did."

Zummi returned him a small, sad smile. As soon as Gusto was asleep, Zummi looked around at what little of the room he could see in the moonlight entering from the door, but there wasn't much in the entrance hall, except cobwebs and dust specks flying over the stone floor.

He wasn't sure how long he was lying awake before hearing Gruffi, Grammi and Tummi enter the room, and instantly closed his eyes to avoid questions. Gradually, he fell asleep hoping with all his heart that what Gusto said was true: that they could make this place feel like home.


	4. Chapter 4: New Home, And Then Some

**Chapter 4: New Home, And Then Some**

"How much longer?" Lady Bane asked impatiently. Knowing the foundations of Gummi Glen could collapse under them, the two villains had decided it was better to walk than take Lady Bane's carriage. If there was one thing that irritated the witch more than trotting around the forest in her spotless high heeled shoes, it was being led there by Duke Igthorn and Toadie.

"Almost there, my dear," Igthorn told her in a sickly- sweet voice. It could not have been plainer that he was enjoying his role as Lady Bane's guide.

"Well, we'd better be," Lady Bane glowered. "My feet are killing me."

"Oh, I would be more than willing to massage them for you," Igthorn said in the same tone, which she hated.

"When ogres take soap baths," Lady Bane replied coldly.

Toadie had to put both hands on his mouth to keep from laughing. Unfortunately for him, Igthorn saw that.

"You know, Toadwart," Igthorn snarled at him, "Someone should go ahead and see if the road is safe. Thank you for volunteering." With that, he grabbed Toadie by the ears and threw him forward several feet.

Toadie only managed to emit a small scream when he collided heavily with a large boulder. "Oooofff! Toadie hurt himself again." He mumbled miserably.

When he recovered, he raised his head and looked around. He seemed to have landed on the remains of a landslide. The forest around him looked very familiar, yet the pile of rocks and dirt was new. The surroundings strongly resembled the area in which he had once been lost after being fired from Igthorn's catapult. One of the many times he had been fired.

Toadie thought hard. When had he landed in this area?

"If only poor scatter-brained Toadie had remembered to take notes wherever he landed after being fired from horrible catapult," Toadie whimpered. "He might be of more use to his beloved Dukey…" At that moment, a memory came back to him: he had informed Igthorn of being to Gummi Glen, and he had lost the notes he took.

Suddenly, he understood where he was.

"DUKEY!"

"What?" Igthorn cried in surprise when he heard Toadie's call. Had they finally arrived?

He quickly turned to Lady Bane. "Quick, my lady, I think we've made it."

When the two of them finally caught up with the runty ogre, Lady Bane stared long and hard at the dirt pile.

"Is this it? This is Gummi Glen?"

"What's left of it," Igthorn answered, disappointed. He could not see how they would be able to get inside. "Those bears must have done this to hide their home."

"Looks like we're going to have to dig," Lady Bane said. "I'm going to need all my troggles for this, but it will still take forever. It's too risky for me to use my magic on this."

"Wait," Igthorn told her. "Could one of the Gummi books you've found have designs for Gummi inventions?"

"Yes," Lady Bane answered. "But what good would they do us?"

"The Gummi Bears got around by underground tunnels," Igthorn told her. "They must have had a machine for digging. If we have the designs, we could have Toadwart and your troggles build it."

Lady Bane thought this over. "For once, you may have had a good idea, Duke Igthorn," she told him, trying to refrain from looking at his silly grin. "Come, we must go back to my place. We have our work cut out for us."

"You see, Toadwart," Igthorn turned to his lackey when Lady Bane made to leave. "The woman is finally recognizing my talent. She and I were made for each other."

Toadie shook his head and muttered quietly, "Toadie thinks Dukums had too much wine last night."

* * *

><p>The journey to Ursalia had exhausted the Gummies so much that not even the sun's rays shining through their window and doorway could rouse them before it was almost noon. They had left the door open the previous night, since the dust on the floor was so thick and the room wanted ventilation.<p>

It was only because he was so used to waking up early every morning that Gruffi was the first bear to open his eyes. He knew it was getting late, but he had not the heart to wake the others. He himself was reluctant to get out of his sleeping bag.

Soon, however, he was forced to move when he felt a large wave of dust hit his face. Startled, he almost cried out, which caused him to inhale a considerable amount. He coughed heavily, and when he was through he wiped his face and glared at the direction the dust wave had come from. What he saw angered him enough to make him jump out of his sleeping bag.

"THORNBERRY!"

"Glad to finally see one of you waking up, really glad. I was getting a little worried," the old Gummi knight smiled brightly at him, leaning on a broomstick. Apparently, Sir Thornberry had decided to let himself into the house and sweep their floor. That explained the dust wave Gruffi felt.

"Why are you sweeping our floor?" Gruffi asked, exasperated.

"'Cause it's dusty," Thornberry answered him.

Gruffi rolled his eyes. "This is the last time we're leaving the door open."

"Leave the door open?" Sir Thornberry asked. "Nah, bad idea. Any ol' stranger can just walk right in."

"They don't get much stranger than this one," Gruffi mumbled to himself.

Meanwhile, the other Gummies were beginning to stir.

"Who are you yelling at this time, Gruffi?" Tummi asked thickly, having just opened his eyes.

"Sir Thornberry. And I wasn't yelling," Gruffi shot back.

"Sir Thornberry's here?" Grammi asked, suddenly wide awake and scrambling to her feet. She approached the old knight, giving him a somewhat embarrassed smile. "Sorry about the sleeping bags in the main hall, dear, we didn't expect to have company yet."

"Company? Who're you expecting?" Thornberry asked.

Grammi sighed and shook her head. "Never mind. I see you've decided to help us start cleaning the house."

"Yeah, for a minute I thought the Spinster was going to get you again," Thornberry told her, pointing to the walls, which were covered with cobwebs.

"Hey, Sir Thornberry," Zummi asked, finally getting up to join them. "Have the Great Gummies contacted you since we've left?"

"No," Thornberry answered. "Nothing new for two days. But no news is good news, I always say. Or is it no blues…?"

"Well, anyway," Grammi cut him off, knowing this could go on forever. "Thanks for your help, but I think we should… we can take it from here."

"Fine," Thornberry told them. "I'll go bring in your stuff."

"No!" nearly all the Gummies cried out at once. They had had too much experience with Thornberry's "help" in the past.

"That is…" Grammi tried to cover for the awkward moment. "We really should do it ourselves, you probably don't know whose stuff is who's… and we all need to wash and change first."

"Oh, okay," Thornberry told them. "I'll be back later if you need more help."

"We'll let you know," Grammi reassured him, crossing her fingers behind her back.

Sir Thornberry saluted her, and then left the house, shutting the door behind him with a loud creak.

"We'd better be quick, if he's threatening to help us," Gruffi told the others. "We'd better get some water from that fountain to wash up, I don't trust the plumbing in this place. That's the first thing that needs fixing. And we should start unpacking right away…"

"Couldn't we have breakfast first?" Tummi asked hopefully.

"And with what did you think Grammi would make it?" Gruffi asked him, annoyed.

Tummi groaned, but to his relief, Cubbi intervened.

"Maybe we can ask the Barbics if we could eat with them today?" he suggested.

"We don't have time for that," Gruffi told him.

"Sure we do, Gruffamundo," Gusto nudged him playfully. "What's a couple more hours? We've already lost the whole morning."

"That's right," Grammi said firmly as she and Zummi folded the sleeping bags and stacked the pillows. "We can't get much done on an empty stomach. Besides, it would be a relief if for one day I didn't have to worry about cooking."

"Okay, okay," Gruffi replied impatiently. "I gotta admit it would be a relief for us not to worry about your cooking either."

Grammi grabbed one of the pillows and tossed it at Gruffi's head.

* * *

><p>Buddi Barbic was sitting outside the Barbics' huts, playing an old favorite tune on his flute. The past few days had been extremely hot and humid in Ursalia, but that day was pleasantly warm and breezy, and Buddi had resolved to enjoy every moment he had free of Ursa's training. The Barbics had been working hard in cleaning Ursalia's houses for the Great Gummies to inhabit, and as a result, Ursa had had much less time and energy for mountain climbing and hunting.<p>

It was with some reluctance that Buddi had put down his flute when he heard Grubbi call the Barbics in for lunch. His face brightened, however, when he caught sight of seven Gummi Bears making their way towards the Barbics' hut. He knew the Glen Gummies were arriving that day, but he hadn't expected to see them until much later.

"Sunni!" Buddi called out to his friend and rushed over to greet her. "Hey, Sunni!"

"Buddi!" Sunni cried out in delight when the young Barbic had reached them. She gave him a warm hug, causing him to turn a little red. "It's great to see you."

"It's great to see you too," Buddi told them, looking anywhere but at Sunni until the redness was gone from his face. "I thought you'd all be busy settling in today."

"We will be," Gruffi told him. "But try getting this bunch to work on an empty stomach…"

"We were hoping we could join you for lunch today, dear," Grammi said softly, deliberately ignoring Gruffi's remark. "The kitchen in our house isn't ready yet."

"Sure, there's plenty of food," Buddi replied, motioning to them to follow with his paw.

"Oh boy," Tummi smiled dreamily as he caught the scent of Grubbi's famous kebobs.

"Thanks, honey," Grammi told Buddi. "You're a real peach."

Buddi bristled a little, but Sunni giggled. "She means that in a good way," she reassured him.

They followed Buddi into the largest hut at the center, which had no table or chairs to sit on, only large pillows on rows of rugs made of rama fleece. In the center of the floor was a fire, which was kept in place by rows of stones. Grubbi stood there, roasting the meat, letting the smoke pass through an opening in the ceiling.

Ursa stood near the doorway, looking as surprised to see the Glen Gummies as Buddi had been. Buddi rushed to her side and explained the situation to her in hushed tones.

Truth be told, the Glen Gummies were a bit uncomfortable about arriving uninvited to the Barbics' for lunch, but to their relief, Ursa did not give them a hard time about it. On the contrary, she seemed very willing to welcome them and dismissed all their apologies and "Thank you"s.

"It's nothing to get sentimental about," she told them. "You've been a big help to us when we lost our home and moved here. What kind of Gummies would we be if we didn't do the same for you?"

"Though I don't know why you Glens have to make things so hard for yourselves," Gritty threw in as he sat down beside Cubbi. "Many of Ursalia's houses are finished already, why did you choose one that isn't?"

"We've talked that over with Sir Thornberry," Grammi answered. "We don't know exactly how many of the Great Gummies will be coming, and we prefer to let them have the houses that are finished."

"Trying to soften the blow about Gummi Glen, huh?" Ursa asked.

Zummi tensed a little, clutching the plate Grubbi handed him. "Sort of…" He swallowed hard. "They expected to come back to a home that's been preserved…"

At that moment, the door to the hut opened and in marched Sir Thornberry. "Those kebobs sure smell good," he took a seat between Grammi and Zummi. "Hey, friends. Didn't expect to see you here."

"Just getting some energy before the work," Gruffi explained. "This reminds me, I might need some extra supplies from Ursalia's tool shed. Some of my tools got lost in the Glen's ruins."

"No problem," Thornberry smiled sweetly. "I've got tools, plaster, paint, and everything you need."

"Don't worry about paint," Gusto told him. "I've got a lot saved from my old studio."

"You mean you'd actually donate some of your precious art supplies for us?" Gruffi asked.

"Gruffamundo, I am insulted," Gusto answered in a mock melodramatic tone. "You think I'm that stingy with my art supplies that I wouldn't help you?"

"Well, that did cross my mind considering you wouldn't help me build a bridge once so you could finish carving a dragon," Gruffi confessed.

"Aw, this is completely different," Gusto shook his head. "I'll get on with painting the house right after lunch."

"Can I help you paint after we finish cleaning?" Sunni asked eagerly.

"Sure, I think you're old enough to help," Gusto beamed at her.

Sunni flushed pink with pleasure, much to Buddi's dismay. "What would we do without Gusto?" Sunni asked Gruffi quietly.

"I don't know, but I'll look into it," Gruffi muttered, averting his gaze from Gusto's smirk. His eyes fell on Zummi's plate. "Zummi, would you eat something already? We have a lot of work to do."

"What?" Zummi seemed to have just been awakened from a deep thought. "Oh, sorry…" He forced himself to swallow some meat but stopped only after a few mouthfuls.

Grammi eyed him with some concern, but chose not to question Zummi in front of the others. Instead, she turned her attention to Ursa. Her jaw dropped.

Ursa had filled her plate with almost as much food as Tummi had, and had poured half a bottle of gummiberry syrup on her kebobs. Grammi recognized the bottle since she had made it for the Barbics on the last festival of the first gummiberry.

"Ursa!" Grammi cried out in shock. "How can you eat so many kebobs with that syrup?"

"Your syrup isn't _that_ bad," Ursa replied.

"That's not what I meant!" Grammi shot back, offended.

"I skipped breakfast," Ursa told her. "Wasn't feeling well. Now I'm starving."

"Grammi, I thought your syrups were for desert?" Tummi asked innocently.

"They are!" Grammi snapped.

"I know that," Ursa said impatiently. "I just felt like having it on meat."

"You Barbics are weird," Gruffi grumbled.

"Why weren't you feeling well?" Gusto asked Ursa.

"It's no big deal," Ursa groaned. "I was just a little queasy. It's probably the heat."

"Sure hope the Great Gummies bring doctors with them," Gritty sighed.

"Don't you start getting on my back too," Ursa glared at him. "I said I'm fine!"

An awkward silence followed this argument. Ursa continued to stuff her face with her strange meal, ignoring the others.

After a moment, Sunni whispered to Buddi, "Is she really alright?"

Buddi just shrugged.

Sunni leaned close to Grammi and whispered, "Grammi, do you think Ursa could have the same disease Zummi has? I noticed he's not feeling well either."

Grammi shook her head, giving Ursa a knowing look. "No, dear. Believe me, it's not the same thing. And it's not a disease."


	5. Chapter 5: Home Improvement

**Chapter 5: Home Improvement**

After lunch was over, Gusto took off to search for his art supplies in his bag while Gruffi searched for whatever tools he could find. The rest of the Glens finally brought their luggage into the entrance hall of their house, and fished for all their cleaning supplies from the bags.

"All right," Gruffi told the others when he entered the house, carrying his toolbox. "Start sweeping until I get the water working. Tummi, you come with me. I could use some help."

"Sure," Tummi beamed at him. "I can help you fix the plumbing."

"Don't go there," Gruffi dismissed him. "I need you to help me clean up and hand me the right tool."

Tummi's face fell and he followed Gruffi while pouting behind his back.

"I guess it's up to me to give out the rest of the assignments," Grammi told the others. "Sunni and Cubbi, you start sweeping the rooms upstairs. Gusto, you start painting the outside of the house. Zummi and I will work downstairs."

"Hey Sunni," Cubbi turned to his sister. "We're finally gonna see the rest of the house."

"Grammi," Sunni asked. "Can we choose our own rooms?"

"Sure, honey," Grammi told her. "Just be careful when you go in."

Sunni and Cubbi darted upstairs, while Grammi and Zummi entered the room on the right hand side of the entrance hall. It turned out to be a kind of combination of a living and dining room. There was a large round table at the corner nearest to the door, which looked big enough to seat a dozen Gummies. A Crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and a large organ stood on the other side of the room. By the large window was a set of three armchairs and a sofa. They were dusty but at least in one piece.

"Wow," Grammi sighed. "This must have been a really nice house once."

"Yeah," Zummi replied softly, without enthusiasm. "Uh… I think I'll start dusting the organ."

"Okay," Grammi told him. "I'll clean the chandelier. We'll do the rest together."

Zummi gave her a small nod and started getting to work, but Grammi stood still for a moment, looking at Zummi up and down.

"You know, I really hope the Great Gummies do have a doctor among them," she said. "I think you should see one."

"Wha…?" Zummi was caught off guard and accidently inhaled a considerable amount of the dust he had just brushed off the organ. After coughing heavily for a while, he managed to choke out, "I'm not sick."

"The kids are getting worried about you," Grammi insisted. "I saw how hard it was for you to eat at the Barbics', and you've hardly eaten or slept for days. Even after we got away from Igthorn."

"Okay, so I'm feeling tense. You know that!" Zummi shot back. "It's not something a doctor can help me with."

"Don't be so sure," Grammi told him. "You know my mother was a doctor. She had remedies that helped ease tension. And anyway, you should make sure you don't have any lasting injuries from when you almost drowned. The remedies I know can only do so much for you."

Zummi didn't know what to say to this, so he turned back to the organ and resumed dusting it.

Grammi, however, was not about to give up so easily. "Are you scared of seeing a doctor?"

"No," Zummi insisted. "I'm not. I was never afraid when your mother treated me."

"So what's the problem?" Grammi asked, losing her patience. "Why won't you let someone else help?"

"I… I guess I could ask a doctor to check out the injuries I got," Zummi agreed reluctantly. "If they still hurt by then…"

"Well, that's a start," Grammi replied, relieved that some progress was being made. "But this isn't only tension. Yesterday, when you almost fell through the hole in the library and you didn't see it…I mean, I've only seen you like that one other time before… and I'm worried about you."

For a split second, Zummi felt a surge of anger at Grammi for bringing up his most painful memory and was about to tell her off, but when he looked at her there was too much tenderness in her expression that he could not do it. He had to lower his eyes.

"All right," Zummi whispered. "I'll ask the doctor about that too."

Grammi gave him a sad smile. "Don't worry," she said softly. "I'm sure what's wrong has more to do with your anxiety than anything else. You've recovered before and you can do it again."

Zummi shook his head a little, and turned back to the piano. "C'mon, we've got to get to work."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, two floors above, Sunni and Cubbi were in the midst of a battle against the dust and grime that covered the floors and windows. Their clothes were already beginning to turn into a grayish color and the water they had used to mop was rapidly turning black.<p>

"Oh boy," Sunni sighed wearily. "All that hard work, and we've barely finished one room."

"Yeah, I wish a lot of new Gummies would move in here and help clean so we never have to do this again," Cubbi mumbled, almost collapsing in the doorway when he and Sunni dragged themselves out of the room opposite the staircase.

Once they were done, the cubs looked back inside. The walls might have once been light pink or lavender, but now the faded color resembled an ugly shade of puce. There was also a dressing table with a large mirror at the wall opposite the bed, which was completely stripped of its sheets. Apparently the ancient Gummies who had left this house had had enough time to pack most of their belonging, unlike the ones who had left Gummi Glen. The closet was large enough that it was almost like a tiny room by itself.

"Who do you think lived here before us?" Sunni asked curiously.

"Must have been a girl," Cubbi answered, looking at the walls.

"Hmmm…" Sunni glanced around, a dreamy look crossing her face. "Maybe I'll take this room. I don't think the others would mind. It sure has possibilities."

"Go ahead," Cubbi muttered dryly. "I know _I_ don't want it." He wiped his sweaty forehead, unintentionally smearing his face with more grime. "Yuck! Look at this water."

Sunni snapped out of her daydream and looked down at the bucket at her feet. "Gross!" she winced. "I hope Gruffi finished the plumbing already."

"Well, let's start sweeping another room," Cubbi suggested. "Maybe we'll get lucky by the time we're done."

The two of them gathered their brooms and moved to the adjacent room from the left. This one had a brownish-yellow tone to it, and was completely empty save for a Gummi shield on the wall over a bed, which had also been stripped of its sheets, and a closet.

"Wow, I think I found my room," Cubbi smiled, admiring the shield. "I've got enough space here to practice my fighting."

"Fight who? The spiders?" Sunni teased him, pointing at the cobwebs on the ceiling.

Cubbi gave her a sly smile. "Good idea." He pulled out his flask of gummiberry juice from his pocket and drained it in one gulp. He then held up his broom like a spear, and bounced on the bed. From there, he made a high bounce to the ceiling and took aim at the webs. "Heads up!" he cried out as he struck, pelting the floor with dead spiders and the remains of the silk threads. Cubbi then bounced to the top of the closet and attacked the webs at that area. Here Sunni had to jump back out of the way when a dead spider almost fell on her head.

"Cubbi!" She cried out in annoyance. "Quit playing around! We have to finish here!"

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Cubbi glowered back.

"And you know we're supposed to save our juice for something important!"

"This _is_ important!" Cubbi retaliated. "Besides, this batch won't last much longer. Grammi said she was going to make new juice soon."

Sunni rolled her eyes. "I give up," she mumbled.

Twenty minutes later, the second room was de-webbed and swept. Sunni and Cubbi decided to rest for a few minutes by sitting on the floor in the hallway. A moment later Tummi joined them, his shirt dripping wet. He was carrying a mop which was much cleaner than the cubs', and a bucket of fresh water.

"Hi," Tummi gave them a weak smile. "How's it going?"

"Too slow," Cubbi muttered.

"Yeah," Sunni agreed. "But at least we found rooms we like."

"That's nice," Tummi told them. "By the way, we have water now." He squeezed the edge of his shirt into the cubs' bucket, wringing the water out. "It took about five tries, but it's finally done."

"Great!" Sunni beamed. "Was it that bad, though?"

"No," Tummi told her. "It was five tries before Gruffi let me handle the wrench. That incident under the bathroom sink wasn't pretty."

Deciding it was better not to ask, Sunni and Cubbi each grabbed the handle of their bucket and tried to carry it to the bathroom to change the water, while Tummi took over mopping what was soon to be Cubbi's room. When the cubs returned, the trio moved on to the next room, when they were interrupted by a friendly call from the staircase.

"Hello? Anyone here who's still standing?"

"Gusto!" Sunni called out to him happily. "We're in here!"

When Gusto had finally found them, he couldn't help but laugh a little. "Hey, Sunners. Getting ready for another folly day? That grunge look might be the latest thing."

Sunni flushed, suddenly realizing what a mess she must have been. "We… we've been busy here."

"I can tell," Gusto smiled. "Those rooms you finished look pretty good."

"Are you done working already?" Tummi asked.

Gusto's smile faded a little. "No," he answered. "I just finished the door and window frames from outside. I'll need a ladder and more paint. This house is a major project."

"Tell me about it," Cubbi muttered.

"Yeah, all this hard work really gives you an appetite," Tummi moaned.

Gusto glanced around the dusty hallways. "Well, I'd better help you guys finish cleaning. Tomorrow I've gotta finish the walls and go out to find a place for my studio."

"What?" Sunni cried out, dropping her broom. "You're not staying with us?"

Gusto stared at her in almost equal shock. "I thought you understood," he told her. "I told you why I need my own place."

"But I thought…" Sunni began, trying to keep her voice steady. She did not want Gusto to see how much his actions were upsetting her. "I thought after everything we've been through… that you'd want move in with us. There's lots of room in this house for your privacy."

"And I'll bet there's an amazing view from the top floor," Cubbi added hopefully.

"Yeah," Tummi agreed, gently touching Gusto's shoulder. "We don't want you to leave. You're part of our family."

Gusto flushed, looking from one Gummi to the other in embarrassment. "Look," He finally said, "it's nothing personal, guys. It's just… well, it's better this way. If I were here all the time my art would bother you, you know how I work at nights, and…"

"This is a big house, I don't think you'd bother anyone," Sunni insisted, now on the verge of tears.

Gusto hesitated. He knew he was doing a poor job of explaining himself, but he did not know what else he could say. "Hey, c'mon," he began awkwardly."It's not like we won't see each other anymore. I'll still visit as often as I did before."

"It won't be the same," Sunni told him, her voice shaky.

"Why not?" Gusto asked.

"Because before, we still had our old home and our friends," she answered, now starting to cry. "We don't want to lose you, too."

"Sunni…" Gusto tried to hug her, but she pulled away from him. Gusto looked helplessly at Tummi and Cubbi, begging them to understand with his eyes.

"Look, Gusto," Tummi finally said. "We're all having trouble with this move now. Can't you at least stay for a little while and see how it works out?"

"Yeah," Cubbi piped up. "That way you can see if you can build your studio upstairs."

Gusto looked them, then at Sunni. The Glen Gummies had been kind to him, and he knew it would be wrong to desert them at this time, yet he was not sure he was ready to move in with them. But he knew he would not be able to make them understand unless he told them why.

"All right," Gusto said in very low voice. "I'll stay until we finish fixing up the house. Then we'll see."

Sunni dried her eyes and tried to smile at the young artist. She bent over to pick up her broom and resumed her work, Cubbi following.

Tummi, however, was still staring at Gusto. He was sure the latter was still hiding something from them, and wondered whether he should prolong the subject. In the end, though, he decided not to. He just gave the artist a small nod, and motioned to him to get work.

* * *

><p>Calla waited silently in her room, pacing around her bed. She could not remember the last time she had been so edgy. Her mind was racing with disturbing images of the castle guards sealing the secret passages, from which the Gummies had visited, or worse yet their secret being discovered. Only those rare moments she could talk to Cavin could calm her nerves. It suddenly occurred to her how lonely they would both be feeling at the moment if they didn't have each other.<p>

Finally getting tired of pacing, the princess sat beside her dressing table and began brushing her long braid just for something to do, when she heard one knock on her door, followed by three quick ones, and another slow one. She quickly leapt from her chair and approached her door.

"Cavin?" She whispered. "Is that you?"

"Yes," Cavin's voice whispered back.

Calla quickly opened her door to let him in and closed it immediately after he entered. "So? What's the situation?"

"The guards haven't found the passages," Cavin reassured her. "I think the bears were right that they won't be looking for them. They know Igthorn had always gotten in here by scaling the castle walls, so they've doubled the guards watching the towers and the drawbridge. And they did find the passageway out of the dungeon the trolls have been using and they've sealed it, so I doubt they'd be looking for more passages in the castle."

"Do you still think we shouldn't seal the Gummies' secret passages ourselves?" Calla asked, though they've already discussed this before and she knew Cavin's answer would not change.

"No," Cavin told her, confirming her suspicions. "If we do anything, it'll draw the guards' attention that something is there. I think it's better if we stick to me patrolling the corridors every evening. Besides, the bears have sealed the passages near where the Glen was."

"I know," Calla replied. "I just can't help worrying. The Gummies are counting on us to help protect their secret." She sat on her bed, staring at the floor.

Cavin looked at her long and hard. It was not like Calla to worry so much, usually it was her who had to tell him to take it easy, yet he understood perfectly how she felt. He sighed and sat down beside her.

"You know," Cavin told her softly, "at first, when the Gummies told us they were leaving, I kept thinking about how much I'd miss them. I remembered how many times they've risked their lives to protect Dunwyn, and how many times we turned to them for help. I was really starting to feel guilty about that. But after we saw them yesterday, after all we did since to help them, I'm starting to think they need us as much as we need them."

"I feel the same way," Calla told him sadly. "I know if father knew about them, he'd help protect them. But we can't tell him, right? The bears trust us."

"Right," Cavin told her. "We promised. I know your father would be decent to them, but if more people knew about them they would not be able to stop those who would harm them."

"I just wish we could've done more for them before they had to leave," Calla told him honestly. "Whatever they've said to us, what we did just doesn't feel like enough."

"Yeah," Cavin agreed. "I've been thinking about that all day. When, and if, we see them again, maybe we should try to find out what if there is some other way we can help them. It's probably tough for them to adjust to life in Ursalia."

Calla looked up to gaze into Cavin's eyes. "You know, I think we're very lucky to have each other. There's no one else around the castle to talk to about this."

"I know," Cavin told her. "At home, there's only my Grandfather. But there isn't much he can do to help either."

"Is he at least feeling better?" Calla asked softly.

"Not really," Cavin answered grimly. "I think having the Gummies leave has also made him feel worse. He understands, of course, but it's not helping him."

Calla stared at him for a minute in concern. Finally, she thought of something that might help. "Wait here," she told Cavin.

She stepped out of her room for a few minutes, and then returned carrying a large, framed picture. Cavin recognized it as the portrait Gusto had made of Calla and Sunni, which had once gotten him into trouble. Calla handed the painting to Cavin.

"Give this to your Grandfather," she told him. "I think he'd like it. Maybe it would cheer him up."

Cavin looked at her skeptically. "But what would you tell your father? He'd notice the painting is missing."

"So? I'll just say I gave it to you. Father knows we're friends. He'll understand," Calla answered. "He also knows your Grandfather loves the old Gummi stories. I don't think there should be a problem."

Cavin smiled at her. "Thanks, Calla." He took the painting and stared at it for a while, a longing look on his face. "I really hope this helps Gramps. And… and thanks again for covering for me yesterday."

"I didn't only do that for you," Calla replied. "If father had thought he couldn't trust you, I'd never be able to see you again. And the last thing I want now is to lose another friend."

* * *

><p>For the first time in days, Grammi was preparing a home cooked meal for the other Gummies in a usable kitchen. Dinnertime that night was at a much later hour than usual, but Grammi insisted that if Gruffi could fix the kitchen they should have a normal sit down dinner at last, believing it would help them feel more at home.<p>

Once Zummi had lit the chandelier and Sunni had set the table, the dining room was almost unrecognizable. True, the windows needed curtains (the old moth-eaten ones being removed by Grammi when she could not repair them), and the walls needed new paint, but the room was at least clean and ventilated and was beginning to look inviting.

"You know," Gruffi said wearily, massaging the back of his neck as he sat down between Zummi and Tummi, "after all that hard work, even Grammi's cooking is starting to look good."

"Yeah," Tummi agreed. "Cleaning houses makes me hungry."

"Big surprise," Gruffi muttered sarcastically.

Sunni, who had just finished setting the table, looked around the room. "At least we made some progress today. The room looks much better." Her eyes fell on the organ in the corner. She approached it and lifted the lid. "I've always wanted to learn to play the organ," she told them. She then tried a few keys, but had to stop immediately. The sound coming out was so shrill and irritating, and caused all the bears to flinch. Grammi had almost dropped the food tray she had been carrying to the table.

"Sunni, I think you need a couple of thousands of music lessons," Cubbi teased her.

"This organ's no good," Sunni shot back, sulking, as she took her seat at the table.

"The pipes are probably rusty or something," Gruffi told her. "I'll work on them when we finish everything else."

"Speaking of work," Grammi said when the Glens were all seated. "Did you kids find rooms for yourselves already?"

"Yeah," Cubbi answered, "on the third floor. But they're kind of boring."

"Well, tomorrow we'll see what we can do about that," Grammi told him. "Maybe Gusto can help you kids redecorate."

At this, both Sunni and Cubbi glanced at Gusto, and quickly looked away. Gusto could only lower his eyes in embarrassment.

This did not go unnoticed by the others. "Say, what's going on here?" Gruffi asked.

"Nothing," Gusto mumbled weakly.

"Nothing my eye," Gruffi said in annoyance. "Normally we can't get you to shut up, and now you're just…"

"Okay, okay," Gusto cut him off, now beginning to feel annoyed himself. "They didn't realize until a while ago I was not staying here."

Gusto wasn't sure what he expected or hoped the other Gummies' reaction to this would be, but it wasn't what he was now seeing. Sunni and Cubbi continued to look sulky, Tummi averted his eyes from the scene, and the other three could only stare in shock. It suddenly dawned on Gusto that they, too, had expected him to stay in the new house with them.

"Well, it's true," Gusto was suddenly on the defense again. "I told you when we first met that I need my own place," he looked from one Gummi to another, trying to find a little sympathy. "I never said moving here changes anything."

"Yeah," Gruffi now glared at him. "Except earlier today you gave me the idea you were going to be supportive and helpful."

"I _am_ helping you," Gusto insisted. "Just because I'm not going to live here doesn't mean I'm walking out on you."

"But you promised you'd at least stay until we're done with the house," Tummi reminded him.

"I will," Gusto told him. "I just don't want you guys to run off with the wrong idea that it would make me stay."

"Gusto, we don't have the right to run off with any idea about you," Grammi intervened. "I'm not going to pretend I like you leaving, but you're an adult. You have to decide for yourself."

Sunni and Cubbi glared at her and opened their mouths to protest, but Grammi held up her paw to silence them. "No, it's not our place to decide."

Gruffi glared at her too, but couldn't argue. "Fine," he finally said. "I guess you're right. We can't force Gusto to accept us as family."

Gusto suddenly stood up, looking angry and more than a little hurt. "That's not fair," his voice shook a little. "I've never given you guys a reason to think I didn't care about you. But I have my reasons for needing my space. It doesn't make me such a bad Gummi!"

"We didn't say that!" Grammi cried out, trying to get Gusto to settle down.

"Then stop treating me like one!" Gusto practically shouted.

For a long moment, the Glens could only stare at Gusto in shock again. They had never seen him this agitated. But once Gusto had sat down again and had begun shuffling his food, the others felt a little ashamed. What was it, after all, that they expected from Gusto after all this time?

Gruffi cleared his throat. "Look, Gusto…" he tried to sound gentle. "We never said you didn't care…Okay, I…I guess I was a little hard on you."

Gusto shook his head a little. He knew he would forgive Gruffi eventually, but he wasn't ready to talk to him at that moment. Instead, he turned his attention to Zummi, who for some reason looked almost as hurt as he was. "Zummers? Aren't you going to say anything?"

"Me?" Zummi asked, a little flustered. "I… I think Grammi's right. You're the only one who can decide." It was clear that wasn't all Zummi wanted to say, but he wasn't about to shame Gusto further in front of the others. He, too, tried shuffling a few more mouthfuls of his food, but soon felt he could no longer swallow. He let his fork drop and grabbed his head, which was hurting very badly. "I'm going to bed," he told the others. "I'm not feeling well."

With that, he left the table and strode out of the dining room, waving his paw dismissively at the others when they tried to ask what was wrong, or else offering to help.

Gusto left the table immediately afterward, desperate to reach Zummi before the others decided to go after him. He soon found him in the entrance hall, trying to climb the stairs. Zummi had only made it halfway up the flight when he had to stop and rest. Gusto hurried over to Zummi's side, startled as he did so to see that Zummi was panting and looking a little clammy.

Gusto sat down beside him, gently touching Zummi's forehead. "Zummi? Are you sick?"

Zummi shook his head a little, but only felt dizzier, as though the room were spinning. "I…I think … I tried to eat a little too much," Zummi told him. "Haven't been able to for a while… then I overdid it…"

"I didn't see you eat much at all," Gusto told him.

"It was… too much… with all the tension…" Zummi tried to explain.

"You should have just taken it easy today," Gusto told him, a little angry that he had not suggested this to Zummi earlier. "You've been working too hard after what you've been through."

"I had to," Zummi managed to say before being hit with a wave of nausea. He tried to get up and run, but failed. The little he had managed to swallow from lunch and dinner was too much for him to keep down, and he threw up over the banister.

Gusto stood up and put a comforting arm around Zummi, trying to hold him steady. By this time, the other Gummies had arrived at the entrance hall, apparently aroused by the sound of Zummi's retching.

"What's wrong?" Gruffi asked when they've reached the entrance hall. But soon saw for himself. "Oh…"

The others stood behind him in the hallway, unsure of what to do.

"I'll get a mop," Grammi finally said, and headed back to the kitchen.

Gusto tried, in the meantime, to think of something comforting to say to Zummi. But the only thing he could think of was the scene at the dinner table that seemed to upset the older bear. "Zummi?" Gusto asked softly. "Did it hurt you, what I said about leaving?"

Zummi took a deep breath, and with a tremendous effort turned to face Gusto. "What you said before… about adjusting to… a new home… as a family…" he managed to say between pants. "Did you really… really mean it? Or were those just… empty words?"

Gusto flushed slightly, unable to answer. He should have realized what damage the argument at dinner would do. He thought about the night before the move to Ursalia and how Zummi had talked to him, seeking reassurance that they would pull through, and he, Gusto, had comforted him… but he could not, he realized, really be there for the others, the way they expected from a family member. _Talk about hypocritical_, Gusto thought angrily. _No wonder they're all upset with me_.

Zummi averted his eyes from Gusto. He wasn't sure if it was the young artist's departure in itself that was upsetting him so, or if this was yet another reminder of what they had all lost already. Feeling rather drained, he leaned over the banister for support, his eyes falling on Grammi, who had just returned from the kitchen with a mop and a bucket of water. He almost cried in shame. Why was he so unable to control his emotions lately?

It was then that Gruffi chose to interfere. He marched up the stairs to Zummi's side and grabbed his arm, wrapping it around his own shoulders. "C'mon, Zummi," he told him gently. "I think you'd better find a room and lie down." He gave Gusto what he hoped was a sympathetic look, and led Zummi slowly up the stairs and out of sight.

"Gusto, you big jerk," Gusto scolded himself, taking a seat at the bottom of the stairs. "I'm sorry," he told the other bears miserably. "I've never started a fight before, and I had to start now…"

"Well," Sunni told him softly, "I guess we weren't very fair either. We just assumed you'd move in with us without asking you."

Grammi, who had just finished cleaning the floor, lay down the mop and sat down beside Gusto. "Look," she told him softly. "What's bothering Zummi isn't only what happened just now. You know that. He's been suffering from anxiety for a while now. The tension at dinner just set him off again."

"Yeah, I know," Gusto told her. "But I should have known better, I knew he wasn't feeling well…"

"But why is he being like this now?" Cubbi suddenly asked. "When we saw him after stopping Igthorn, and when he told us to destroy the juice factory, he seemed fine…"

"That's just it, Cubbi dear," Grammi told him. "At the time, we had such urgent problems that Zummi was able to do something about. He had to free us, and save the Great Gummies from Igthorn's trap. Now that it's all over, and he doesn't know what will happen next, all the tension is hitting him. That's why he hasn't been himself."

"Is he going to be okay?" Sunni asked in concern.

"Eventually, yes," Grammi reassured her. "It takes time, that's all. And he'll feel better after facing the Great Gummies."

"Are you sure?" Tummi asked. "I mean, you don't think he could really be sick or something, do you?"

Grammi lowered her eyes. "Well, we can't rule out the possibility that part of what's wrong is physical… Not after Igthorn's attack… " She looked around at the cubs' frightened expressions. "But whatever it is, I'm sure he'll recover. If it were fatal, we'd know it by now."

Gusto stood up. "I'm not going to be able to sleep for a while," he told the others. "I guess I'll get some more work done. You guys had better get some rest."

Grammi gave him a small nod, and motioned to the others to follow her. "C'mon, let's see what we can do about your new rooms."


	6. Chapter 6: Out of the Darkness

**Chapter 6: Out of the Darkness and Into the Light**

It was another rough night for Zummi. Exhausted as he was after all the work he and the others had done on the house, he just couldn't find rest. Every time he closed his eyes, he was haunted by more images of beams collapsing and losing sight of his friends behind the debris.

He sat up, shivering, in his bed. He suddenly became aware that he was covered in cold sweat. Everything was so quiet. He could not even hear his friends' snores. Where were they? Why couldn't he hear them? His heart started pounding again. Why did he walk away from them at dinner when he needed them most? He had to go look for them; there was no other way he could relax. He had to make sure everything was all right. He reached for his hat and glasses that lay on the bedside table next to a candle holder and a box of matches. He lit the candle manually, unable to concentrate on his lamp lighting spell. He got to his feet, grabbed the candle, and slowly stepped out of the room.

Once he was out in the hallway, the panicky feeling he had seemed to increase. The place was so unfamiliar to him, and he had no idea where to look for the others. He forced himself to take a few deep breaths. Once he finished, he was able to hear faint snores from the room next to him. He carefully pulled the door open a bit and looked inside. It was Gruffi's new room. Zummi shut the door and sighed in relief. If Gruffi was able to sleep, the others must be safe… but he had to find them and be sure. He silently passed the main staircase and headed toward the other end of the hall, realizing almost too late it stopped at another staircase that he remembered led to the kitchen. Beside that staircase there was another door, and the snores that came from behind it told Zummi this was Grammi's room. Now he had to find the younger Gummies, but the other doors on that floor led to two more empty rooms and a bathroom. The kids were probably on the third floor. Zummi took another deep breath and marched up, forcing himself not to look over the banister.

As soon as he reached the hallway, he knew he was in the right place. He could hear mumbling coming from a door on his left.

"Cookies, mmmm…. Pass the syrup…." Came Tummi's voice.

Zummi felt a little better. Perhaps he would be able to get some sleep once he found everyone. He then tried the adjacent door and realized it was Cubbi's room. In the dim candle light Zummi was also able to see that Cubbi had his old teddy bear with him. Apparently Artie had managed to save it. Now there were four more doors left on that floor. He tried the one opposite the staircase and discovered it was Sunni's room, and that she, too, had her doll with her. Zummi recognized it as the one he had given her for Jiffy Tree day when she and Cubbi tied for the victory. Zummi shut the door and sighed again. Now he only had to find Gusto.

As soon as he thought that, the memory of the fight at dinner came back to him, and his heart sank. Seeing Gusto now would no doubt be painful, but he had to find him. He had to know he was still with them. He checked the door on the right of Sunni's room, but it was only another bathroom. He tried the door on the far right, but it did not lead to another room. Instead, another staircase stood behind it. Unlike the larger ones Zummi had seen earlier, these stairs were thin and spaced, and arranged in a spiral. They probably led to an attic. Zummi stepped back. The thought of climbing higher on _those_ stairs was horrifying. He could only hope Gusto's room was behind the last door on the third floor. He approached it cautiously, and was able to hear faint moaning behind it. Yes, Gusto was there, and from the sound of it, he was in the midst of a nightmare.

* * *

><p><em>Gummies everywhere were running in panic. Their screams echoed all over the warren. He climbed on top of a huge rock, trying to see what was causing the racket, but all he could see was his family running towards him. His mother grabbed his arm, pulling him after her. He looked back, but there were only more Gummies as far as the eye could see. He could not hear what they were saying, except for a few calls for everyone to reach the ships. <em>

_There was a very loud sound then, like thunder in the most violent storm. It seemed to drown the screams around him. The sound repeated itself several times, and then fell a silence that turned his blood cold. He looked around, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat._

_It was a giant dragon._

_The dragon had brown scales and yellowish wings, and it was flying over the ship he was now in. It looked down at the terrified bears on board, and emitted a deafening roar. More screams could be heard, and some bears had even fainted. The dragon bared its teeth and began breathing fire in his direction…_

Gusto woke with a start, panting. For a moment, he could not remember where he was. After taking several deep breaths, he realized he was in his new bedroom, and there were six other Gummies in the house with him. He hoped he had not screamed out loud. He told himself the horror he had just experienced was only a nightmare.

Or _was_ it only a nightmare? He tried to calm down, tried to figure out why this has happened now, but he felt he knew why. He had had that dream before. But then, he had only seen the dragon. He did not remember the screams, the roars or the ships. He did not even remember feeling afraid when he saw the dragon. Except once.

"I've got to get out of here," Gusto mumbled to himself. He grabbed the half unpacked knapsack from the foot of his bed, and dashed to his closet to pack the remainder of his belongings. He was in such a hurry to leave that he did not even get dressed. Once his knapsack was full, he pulled his door open and rushed out of the room. He had only run a few steps before…

"OOF!" Gusto cried, having just run into Zummi, knocking them both over. The candle Zummi had been carrying fell to the floor and blew out, leaving the hall in total darkness.

Once he recovered from the shock, Gusto reached for his knapsack and searched it for his lantern and matches. When he was finally able to get some light in the hallway, he got to his feet, feeling rather shaken. "Zummi, why aren't you in bed?" he asked.

"I just… wanted to make sure everything was okay…." Zummi managed to say weakly from the floor.

"C'mon…" Gusto moaned and bent to help Zummi up. Once the older bear was on his feet, however, it became clear something was wrong with him. His breathing was fast and shallow, and he was clutching his head. When he tried to move, he seemed to lack balance.

Startled, Gusto quickly grabbed his shoulders. "Zummi, are you okay?" he asked in concern.

"I'm getting vertigo," Zummi managed to say, though his voice was barely audible.

"Come here," Gusto carefully led him to the staircase, helping the older bear sit down.

Zummi grabbed his head and rested it between his knees. He hoped he wouldn't throw up again. It had been humiliating enough once. He tried breathing slowly for a few moments. The vertigo passed, but his head still ached.

Gusto fidgeted uncomfortably. "Should I get Grammi, or…?"

"No," Zummi slowly raised his head, wiping cold sweat off his brow. The last thing he wanted was more fuss made over him.

"Well, you need some water at least," Gusto told him. When Zummi showed no objection, he darted towards the kitchen.

Zummi turned his eyes to Gusto's knapsack that lay on the floor. His throat tightened. Gusto meant to leave them that night. He was sure of it.

Gusto returned several minutes later with a glass of water. He tensed slightly when he saw Zummi stare at his knapsack, and was already planning his defense. He held out the drink to his friend, hoping to distract him if only for a moment.

"Thanks," Zummi whispered weakly, taking the glass and slowly sipping water.

Gusto sat down beside Zummi and put a comforting arm around him. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little," Zummi replied softly.

Gusto took a deep breath. "I guess you figured out I'm leaving," he said gently.

Zummi only shrugged.

Gusto lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I know I promised I'd stay until the house is done, but I told you I had my reasons for needing space."

"So you tried to run away," Zummi muttered bitterly.

Gusto flushed a little, retracting his arm from Zummi. "I was going to talk to all of you tomorrow," he whispered. "I just don't think living together is working out for me. You know how artists have their own ways…"

"Stop that!" Zummi snapped at him, too weak to yell as loudly as he wanted to. "I know that's not why, I'm not stupid! I know there's something bothering you, something you're not telling us…" His voice shook a little. "But running away in the middle of the night, after you told me you felt at home with us…did you think for even a moment how we'd feel?"

Gusto stared at him for a moment, taken aback by these accusations. He knew Zummi was right, but he had never been so hard on him before. What was more, in spite of all the pain Zummi was going through, Gusto just couldn't see why it was so hard for the older bear to deal with his departure.

"Zummi, I didn't mean to…" Gusto began awkwardly. "Okay, I admit I shouldn't have tried to run away like that, and I'm sorry if you feel like I deceived you, but I'm not moving to the other side of the world. I'm still going to visit a lot. So why is my leaving so hard for you? I'm trying to understand you, but I just can't."

Zummi looked away from Gusto, unable to answer.

Gusto sighed sadly. "Okay," he got to his feet. "I guess that's only fair. I haven't told you what's wrong with me either." He slowly started making his way back upstairs.

Zummi stared at the floor, hoping Gusto won't see how close to tears he was. "I didn't see you get out that night," he whispered.

"What?" Gusto stopped in his tracks, staring at Zummi.

"When the Glen was destroyed…" Zummi went on. "I just remember everything crashing, and I lost sight of all of you." He swallowed hard. "Next thing I knew, Igthorn captured me. I should have run from him, but I couldn't… I remember yelling for help, but when no one came I thought…" His voice started to crack. "I didn't know if any of you made it…and even when Grammi and Tummi came for me, I couldn't fight Igthorn, I just let him do what he wanted, that's how he managed to bully Grammi into giving him the juice recipe…And when Dunwyn was attacked, I didn't know if the kids were okay for a long time…And it was all my fault…" He put the glass down, buried his face in his paws and started to cry.

Gusto rushed back to Zummi's side and hugged him. "Zummi, c'mon, don't say that…"

"For the past couple of days, I thought I was going crazy…" Zummi sniffed and tried to steady his breathing. "I can't stop thinking about what I could've done differently, that sometimes what I've been scared of seems more real to me than anything. There are moments when I can't tell if what's going on is real or I'm just dreaming… And there still are some moments when I'm not sure…" He swallowed hard again. "When I'm not sure if you all really survived, or I'm just imagining it because I wish you had…I could never forgive myself if I survived and you didn't…" He could not continue from this point. The pain of this confession had been too strenuous for him.

Gusto stared at him with a pitying look on his face. "So you're scared that if I leave… it means you lost me?"

"Yes," Zummi replied weakly. "I know it sounds insane, but it's true. That's why I came up here tonight; I had to know everyone was still here…"

"I had no idea…" Gusto felt a lump form in his throat. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Gusto asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I couldn't explain it before, I wasn't sure what was happening," Zummi told him. "And… I think I was ashamed. I know the rest of you are in pain too, but you're all dealing with this… All your reactions are normal, but I…"

"Zummi, what you're going through isn't as strange as you think," Gusto answered gently. "There's nothing to be ashamed of." When Zummi didn't look convinced, Gusto sighed. "Would it make you feel better if I stayed here until the house is done, like I promised?"

Zummi shook his head. "I do want you to stay, but not like this," He tried to compose himself. "If you stay for me, I'll never be able to deal with this. I have to try getting back to normal."

Gusto sighed again, this time in relief. "You will," He told Zummi, smiling a little. "I promise. At least now you were able to tell me what was wrong."

Zummi sighed. "I should tell the others too, shouldn't I?" He asked.

If the situation were not so serious, Gusto would have laughed at this. Zummi sure picked the wrong guy to ask about confiding in others. Still, he nodded. "They're all worried about you. I think telling them is better for everyone."

Zummi sighed and stood up slowly, feeling a bit unsteady. "I might be able to get some sleep now," he whispered.

"Good," Gusto told him. "And don't worry; I'm not going to run away tonight. I'll say goodbye to everyone tomorrow." With that, he got to his feet and went to get his knapsack, pulling out a paintbrush and a few sealed cans of paint. "There are better ways to deal with pain."

"Gusto?" Zummi asked softly.

"Yeah?" Gusto asked.

"You know we'll be there for you too, if you want to talk," Zummi told him, before slowly turning around and heading back to his room.

Gusto gaped at Zummi's retreating figure, suddenly lost for words.

* * *

><p>After the previous night's events, Gruffi was not sure how he had managed to fall asleep, but when the morning finally came, he felt as though he had slept a long time. The sun's rays shone through the open window in his new room, and the warm breeze that entered had brought with it a pleasant scent of evergreens and roots from the nearby river.<p>

Gruffi sat up in bed and stared out the window for a while. Ursalia seemed to be a perfect blend of Gummi architecture with the natural beauty surrounding it. The stone buildings bordered with the boulders on the northern mountains, which were otherwise covered with evergreen trees that probably stretched as far as Barbic Wood. Just visible beyond the hills was a thin blue stripe that was the ocean. Any day now, they would be seeing a flash of light, informing them the Great Gummies were coming.

The thought of the Great Gummies had pushed Gruffi out of bed. He was never one to procrastinate, but even by his usual standards he felt he was in a hurry to finish the work on the house. They had been there for little over twenty-four hours, and he still hadn't found a proper place for his workshop.

As soon as he was washed and dressed, Gruffi stepped out to the hallway, feeling a little nervous. He hoped the night had given Gusto time to calm down from their fight. He did not want to start another day of work with all that tension between him and one of his friends. It had been hard enough worrying about Zummi.

As soon as his thoughts turned to Zummi, it occurred to Gruffi he should check on his older friend. Zummi had felt too weak and too anxious to speak to him much the night before, and he did look rather sick when Gruffi had left him. Gruffi now stood for a long moment outside the door to Zummi's room. Finally, he knocked a few times, but Zummi did not answer. Gruffi hesitated for a minute, and then slowly pushed the door open.

Zummi was lying in bed, asleep, but he did not look too peaceful. His breathing was a bit fast and shallow, and his face was still clammy. Gruffi wondered if he should wake him, but decided against it, remembering how little sleep Zummi had had in the past few nights.

As Gruffi backed out of the room, he felt someone touch his shoulder gently. He spun around to see Grammi standing beside him, also fully dressed.

"How is he?" Grammi asked in a whisper, with a nod at Zummi's door.

"Not sure," Gruffi told her. "He didn't look so good last night. Do you think we should wake him?"

It was a clear sign of how worried Gruffi was that he was asking Grammi for advice, something he could not remember doing before.

"No," Grammi told him. "If he feels up to it, he'll come down on his own. For now, we should let him rest."

Gruffi nodded, feeling a bit relieved. "Have you seen Gusto yet?"

"No," Grammi answered, feeling she knew why Gruffi was asking. "But he seemed relatively okay last night. And he isn't about to stay mad for long. He doesn't want to."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Gruffi told her. "Let's go downstairs."

Grammi sighed, getting the impression Gruffi was trying to avoid having a long conversation. "So do you still have fixing jobs today?" she asked as the two headed downstairs. "Or can you help the rest of us with the cleaning?"

"I haven't seen the whole house yet," Gruffi answered. "I guess I'll have a look around and we'll s-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

The two of them had just reached the entrance hall, and were dumbfounded to see it was completely unrecognizable. The walls were all painted in lurid rainbow colors, the floor was covered with rows of mismatched rugs, and the most bizarre collection of paintings hung beside every window.

"Oh, hey, good morning, Gummiamigoes," Gusto called out to them, having just emerged from the dining room. Apparently, Grammi was right in thinking the artist didn't want to stay angry. "I spent half of the night working here, and an inspiration finally hit me on how to brighten up this old place. Isn't it stunning?"

"Well, the word 'stunned' has crossed my mind," Grammi told him, just recovering from the shock.

"And just what gave you the idea we'd want to live in a house where you can't enter the main hall without going blind?" Gruffi scolded. "Where did you get all those, anyway?" he pointed to the rugs.

"I brought them from my studio when we left," Gusto asked, a little offended at Gruffi's reaction. "It's my way of apologizing for last night. I just wanted to help make this place feel like home."

"Home has never looked like this," Gruffi said in annoyance.

"Thanks for trying," Grammi told Gusto, not wanting to insult him. "But I think this room needs something simpler. Maybe you can try…"

"Don't give him ideas," Gruffi scolded her. He then turned to Gusto. "You're going to have to repaint these walls. Try some normal base color."

Gusto shook his head, but also smirked a little. "Gruffamundo, I think you're missing the point of painting. Art should be a reflection of free thinking and creativity."

"Art should reflect good taste," Gruffi shot back. "You want walls that look like your palette exploded? Have them in your room."

"Well, why don't we just ask an objective art critic?" Gusto asked.

"Fine," Gruffi told him. "You're not going to find a sane bear that'll enjoy seeing this."

As if on cue, the door to the house flew open and in marched Sir Thornberry. "Hi, everyone," he waved at no one in particular, looking around the room as though entirely accustomed to seeing rainbow colored walls every day. "Ah, so you finally got this room done. It sure looks great."

Gruffi gave Gusto an _I rest my case_ look.

"This was a practice paint job," Grammi told Thornberry. "Are you here to visit, or do you have news?"

"Yes," Thornberry answered.

"Well, which one is it?" Gruffi asked impatiently.

"Which what is it?" Thornberry asked.

"What's the news?" Grammi asked, almost as impatient as Gruffi.

"Oh, Ursa's feeling a kind of sick again, so Buddi and I thought we'd come over." He sniffed the air. "Are you making breakfast?"

"Yeah, there's bread in the oven," Grammi smiled. "It'll be ready soon. So where is Buddi?"

"Right here," Buddi announced, having just walked through the door. His arms were a bit scratched and some twigs were caught in his hood. "I had to re-park the quick car." He turned his attention to the old Gummi knight. "Sir Thornberry, I think you'd better let me drive next time. I don't think that tree will ever be the same."

"Aw, that old oak just sprung out of nowhere," Thornberry replied. "Anyway, I'm much better at traveling by foot than by those old quickcars. Buddi, maybe you should drive next time."

Buddi rolled his eyes, but paused when he took in the sight of the room. "Hey, what happened here?" He asked. "Are you guys trying to scare someone away?"

"What'd I tell you?" Gruffi asked Gusto.

"Oh, all right," Gusto sighed and shook his head, recognizing defeat. "I'll repaint the house to something simple."

"Good," Gruffi mumbled. "Gusto, you don't have any other surprises for us, do you?"

"No," Gusto told him. "I've only had time to do one room so far." With that, he turned to follow Thornberry into the kitchen.

Gruffi looked at Grammi as though to say, _can you believe this?_

"I'll go check on the bread," Grammi said with a sigh. "Between Gusto and Thornberry, we'll never be bored here." With that, she headed for the kitchen, Gruffi following.

Buddi lagged behind for several minutes, staring Gusto's attempt at interior design. Even Thornberry could not have done something crazier to a room.

"Buddi?" A girl's voice awakened him from his thoughts.

Buddi looked up to see Sunni coming down the stairs, followed by Cubbi and Tummi.

"Hi," the young Barbic greeted them. "Sir Thornberry and I just came over for breakfast."

"Uh oh," Tummi piped up, looking around. "Gusto's been busy here."

"Yeah," Cubbi agreed. "He must wanna make sure we remember him forever."

"You're tellin' me," Buddi smirked, but stopped when he caught sight of Sunni's face. She seemed a little depressed by the situation. He wished he could talk to her privately, but how could he get rid of Cubbi and Tummi? "Hey, something smells good in there," he told them, with a nod in the dining room's direction. "Wanna see what Grammi's making?"

"You don't have to ask me twice," Tummi beamed at him and darted towards the dining room.

"Hey, save some food for me!" Cubbi yelled as he ran after Tummi.

"That was too easy," Buddi muttered to himself. He grabbed Sunni's arm as she reached the bottom of the stairs and held her back. "Sunni, wait a moment."

"Yes?" Sunni asked.

Buddi flushed, a little embarrassed. "I, uh…I wanted to see how you were holding up. You know, with moving here and all."

"_And all_ is right," Sunni moaned. "I know we'll get used to living here someday, but now it feels like everything's happening at once."

"What do you mean?" Buddi asked.

"Well, for one thing, I'm really worried about Zummi," Sunni replied. "He hasn't been feeling well lately. Grammi says it's anxiety, but who knows what's really wrong with him? The grownups don't tell us everything. And Zummi was feeling pretty sick last night."

Buddi shifted uncomfortably. He had a hunch Sunni was telling him more than she intended, after all this was a private family matter, but he felt it would be tactless to stop her.

"And besides that," Sunni went on with a shaky voice, unable to stop herself, "Gusto's probably moving out. He doesn't seem to like living with us for some reason, but he won't say why."

"Oh," Buddi sighed. Truth be told, he wasn't too sorry Gusto wouldn't be around all the time, especially if it meant he wouldn't be having all of Sunni's attention, but he knew it couldn't have been easy for the Glens to have one of their own leave them. He tried to think of something comforting to say, but he couldn't find the right words.

"C'mon," Sunni finally said. "The others are waiting for us."

* * *

><p>"Plum pudding for breakfast?" Gruffi asked in distaste when Grammi finally served the food.<p>

"That's all I could make besides the bread," Grammi answered, a little annoyed. "I haven't been able to save much from the Glen's kitchen."

"I don't mind the plum pudding," Tummi said dreamily. He reached for a spoon and piled some on his plate, with Cubbi watching closely to make sure his gluttonous friend left enough for him.

"Need more food ingredients, do ya?" Thornberry asked Grammi. "No problem. Grubbi has plenty he can give you."

"Oh, good," Grammi sighed in relief. "At least that'll keep us going until I find some new herbs around Ursalia."

"Well, whatever they are, they can't make your cooking any worse," Gruffi smirked.

Grammi glared at him. "Of course, ingredients aren't the only thing we're running _short_ on here," she snarled, slamming the lid on the plum pudding bowl.

"Is that a short joke?" Gruffi snapped at her.

"It's good to hear some things are normal again," A soft voice came from the doorway. Zummi had just joined them, looking as though he had spent a long time freshening up and was forcing himself to act casual. He tried to ignore the surprised look on his friends' faces as he greeted Buddi and Thornberry, and took the empty seat beside Gruffi.

Tummi finally broke the ice. "You look better," he told Zummi.

"Thanks," Zummi replied quietly. He wasn't sure Tummi was being very honest, but he appreciated the gesture all the same.

"Did you at least get enough sleep?" Gruffi asked, a bit concerned.

"As much as I could," Zummi replied, forcing himself to remain calm. It was embarrassing to have Gruffi ask him such a question in front of guests as though he were a cub. Making a mental note to tell Gruffi off for this later, Zummi silently caught Gusto's eye, waiting to see if the latter had spoken to the others yet.

Taking the hint, Gusto cleared his throat. "Uh, okay. Now that you're all here, there's something I've gotta tell you."

The others stared at him for a moment with a mixture of suspicion and concern. This wasn't making things easier for Gusto.

"Look, I know I promised to stay here until the house is done, but last night I just felt that… I mean, I'm not really sure I can handle it. It's not personal or anything like that, but…" He looked around at the others nervously. They didn't seem nearly as upset as they had been the previous night. In fact, they seemed as though they had been expecting this, but Gusto had to be sure they understood as much as he could tell them. He glanced at Zummi, who nodded in encouragement. "There are some things I need to deal with… by myself. I just think if I stay, it'll be harder for all of us."

The Gummies exchanged uncomfortable looks, but no one wanted to start another fight.

"Only you can decide what's best for you, Gusto," Grammi sighed.

"If you think you have to," Gruffi agreed reluctantly. He quickly turned his attention to Zummi. "Are you okay with this?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah," Zummi whispered, though he looked rather down. "It'll be worse if he stays when he doesn't want to." He reached for the plum pudding bowl before Gruffi had a chance to prolong the subject. As soon as he removed the lid, however, the pudding's aroma stirred something in his memory. Grammi had made the same pudding the night Gummi Glen was destroyed… He tried hard not to think about it, but the images were flashing before his eyes again, and his heart started pounding. For a few moments, he lost track of the conversation all together.

Sunni, meanwhile, was staring at Gusto with a forlorn look in her eyes. This did not go unnoticed by the young artist.

"Cheer up, Sunners," he tried to smile at her. "I won't be living far from here. I'll visit as often as I can."

Sunni tried to smile back. "Will you let me come to your studio when you're ready?" she asked.

"Sure, anytime," Gusto told her.

"And…" Sunni sat up straight and batted her eyes (much to Buddi's annoyance). "Will you let me pose for you sometime?"

Gusto never got a chance to answer, because at that very moment Zummi had gotten up and seemed in a hurry to leave the dining room.

"Zummi?" Cubbi called to him. "Where are you going?"

"I…" Zummi tried to keep his voice steady. "I just need to go out for a few minutes… I'll be back soon…" he rushed out before the others would have a chance to ask questions.

"Oh, boy," Gruffi mumbled. "I hope he's not getting sick again."

* * *

><p>Zummi dashed outside to the garden, hoping the others would not follow him this time.<p>

"Stop thinking about it," he told himself. "You'll go crazy if you keep this up…" The old wizard took a deep breath and tried to relax for a few moments and enjoy the beauty of that morning. He tried to concentrate on how he and his friends had helped the Barbics settle in Ursalia, and how he had enjoyed visiting the city before. There was no reason why he shouldn't like living there, once he was used to it…His heart stopped pounding. The panicky feeling slowly subsided, to be replaced with fatigue. His eyes felt a little sore for lack of sleep. Yawning, he removed his glasses to rub his eyes, feeling as though a bright light was shining at them. When he put his glasses back on, the feeling returned. He blinked and tried to turn away from the sun. Only it wasn't the sun flashing its light. The beam was not coming from the east.

Tensing again, Zummi looked up at the direction the light had come from. Suddenly, he knew what was happening. "Oh…" he tried to catch his breath. "Oh…my goodness…" He swallowed hard. "GRUFFI! GRAMMI! COME QUICK!" he yelled.

Gruffi and Grammi nearly tripped over each other's feet as they came running out of the house. "What happened?" Grammi asked, frantic.

Zummi pointed at the beam of light shooting through the sky.

Gruffi gasped. "Great Galloping Gummies!" he cried.

"We've got to get to the Gummiscope," Zummi told them, his heart pounding again.

They quickly called the younger Gummies and their guests, and as soon as all of them were present, the Glens rushed to the tower in Ursalia's central square that held the Gummiscope, and arrived out of breath.

Zummi tried to steady his breathing, and approached the Gummiscope. He found the paper that had just recorded the message and read it.

"What does it say?" Sunni asked Zummi.

Zummi felt a little lightheaded. "It says… _We apologize for the delay in our reply… we've received your message and we'll be arriving at Ursalia tomorrow afternoon at high tide._"

Sunni and Cubbi squealed with delight, until Grammi shut them up to take them home and be measured for new clothes. The others followed in haste to start their own preparations. Only Zummi and Gruffi lingered behind for a few moments.

Zummi clutched his heart, panting heavily. "This is it…" he just managed to say.

Gruffi eyed him with concern. "Don't worry," he told Zummi. "Tomorrow the worst will be over. Whatever happens."

"Yeah…" Zummi took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. "Tomorrow, we'll know what happens… It'll be okay…"

"Let's go home," Gruffi said. "I've got to find the decorations before Thornberry decides to help me."


	7. Chapter 7: The Great Gummies

**Chapter 7: The Great Gummies**

"Sunni, will you hold still?" Grammi scolded. "I can't get your dress finished if you keep moving around like that!"

The day before had been hectic for the Gummies. After the message they have received all they had done was clean the streets, prepare food, find and repair their best clothes. Grammi had spent most of that day preparing formal clothes for Sunni and Cubbi, and was now putting the final touches on Sunni's new dress.

"Sorry, Grammi," Sunni said. She was standing on a stool in her room. "But I can't help it. The Great Gummies are coming today and I'm just too excited to stand still!"

"But you want your dress finished in time for the welcome home party, don't you?" Grammi asked sharply. This made Sunni stiffen at once. "We have to hurry. I still have to finish cooking for the party. Before the termite attacked, I've found some interesting new recipes in the Great Book I've been meaning to try."

Sunni forced herself not to respond, and did her best to hide the dread from what Grammi's new recipes could be. For several more minutes both of them were silent as Grammi finished sewing the hem of Sunni's dress.

"There, all done," Grammi beamed, proud of herself. "Go take a look."

Sunni practically jumped off the stool and ran to the full length mirror by the wall. She gasped with delight. "Wow, Grammi, it's beautiful!" The dress was made of light pink material with a lacy skirt and bodice that were trimmed with silver thread. "I feel just like a princess!" She raced back to Grammi and gave her a big hug.

"You look great," Grammi smiled, patting her on the back.

The moment was soon interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," Sunni called, breaking free from Grammi.

The door opened and Buddi walked in.

"Hi Buddi!" Sunni beamed at him.

"Hi Sunni," he announced, then stopped dead at the sight of her. "Wow! You look…"

He couldn't finish. He wasn't sure why, but seeing Sunni in such a dress made him suddenly feel hot and flushed. Not only because it was so beautiful, but also because unlike Sunni's old clothes, this dress was a little more low-cut than usual, just showing off the early signs of her maturing body. (Sunni wanted to show more, but Grammi put her foot down).

"It's nice to see you too, Buddi," Grammi tried to awaken him to her presence.

"Huh? Oh, hi, Grammi," Buddi said quickly. Why was he suddenly so shy? He had seen Sunni before many times. Why should such minor changes in her make a difference to him?

Sunni barely noticed Buddi's embarrassment, and signaled Grammi with her eyes to leave the room.

"I think I'll get started on the food," Grammi smiled, taking the hint. "I promised Grubbi he can help. I hope he can find his way around my kitchen."

Once she left, Sunni turned back to Buddi. "Like my dress? Grammi made it for me for the party."

"It looks awesome," Buddi told her, relieved he had managed to find his voice this time. "I was wondering if you'd like to practice playing some music with me for the party."

"I'd love to," Sunni told him. "But what about Ursa? I thought she doesn't like it when you play."

"She likes my music, she just doesn't like it when the others know I'm playing it," Buddi explained. "She thinks it's not fitting for Barbics." He added the last words in a perfect imitation of Ursa's pompous tone, that it made Sunni giggle.

"But she won't stop me from playing in front of the Great Gummies, she won't want them thinking… no, _knowing_ she's so pushy," he said, and Sunni laughed again.

"Okay, I'll just change and we can practice some songs," Sunni said. "But not too many, I want to dance at this party too."

"Dance?" Buddi asked. "But we already dance when we play…"

"That's not what I mean," Sunni explained "I mean in pairs, with other Gummies. There could be a lot of new Gummies our age, and I want to get to know them."

"Me too," Buddi suddenly felt a little nervous. "But dancing together… isn't that a little old fashioned?"

"No, Grammi says that's something that never changes in parties. I can't wait to try."

"Yeah… I guess," Buddi felt flushed again. "Uh, I think I'll wait for you outside."

With that he almost hastened out of Sunni's room. Sunni stared after him for a moment, puzzled. Why was Buddi acting so strange about dancing? She knew he could dance reasonably well, and had no trouble making knew friends. Making a mental note to ask Grammi about this, she changed to her green dress, and took her tambourine from her drawer (her flute was destroyed by the termite), and left to join Buddi.

* * *

><p>"Gusto! You call that eyesore a decoration?" Gruffi scolded, annoyed.<p>

"Ah, c'mon, Gruffamundo, this is the best creation I've ever made for a party," Gusto replied.

"This is the _only_ creation you've made for a party," Gruffi rolled his eyes.

The controversial decorations were made of long blocks of paper folded like a fan, with every other side painted in bright warm colors, and every side in between painted in bright cold colors, so that the whole picture seemed to change when observed from different angles. It featured small figurines of Gummi knights on unicorn ponies, Gummi magicians casting spells into the sky and fields of gummiberry bushes in the background.

"I'm telling you, the Great Gummies will love it!" Gusto insisted. "It just screams brilliance!"

"In what language?" Gruffi asked sarcastically. "I already showed you the art styles the ancient Gummies appreciated, and I'm telling you, _that's_ what they'll enjoy seeing."

"That was five hundred years ago," Gusto insisted. "They'll be happy to see we've modernized. But if you're so sure you're right, I guess we should just get other opinions again."

"Fine," Gruffi told him. "It worked last time."

Gusto ignored this and looked around for someone available. "Yo! Tummer! Cubster! Get over here a moment!"

"What's up?" Cubbi asked when he and Tummi arrived. They had been hanging banners at the other side of the yard where the fountain that hid Ursalia's library stood at the center.

"Tell Gusto we can't show this ridiculous whatever-it-is to the Great Gummies!" Gruffi ordered.

"No, tell Gruffo that this _masterpiece_ is _the _best way to welcome the Great Gummies!" Gusto insisted. "It'll send them straight to the moon!"

"But we want them here," Tummi was confused.

"Urgh, yeah, I didn't think of that," Gusto muttered, trying to keep a straight face. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I like it," Cubbi told him.

"Me too," Tummi said, trying to avoid Gruffi's eyes.

"Ha!" Gusto exclaimed. "Guess we're even now, Gruffamundo."

"Fine," Gruffi grumbled, recognizing defeat. "Just don't come crying to me when the Great Gummies make fun of you."

"At least I'll have something to talk to them about that won't bore them to death," Gusto mumbled under his breath, but Tummi and Cubbi were sure Gruffi heard him.

"Let's go see if Grammi's made lunch yet," Tummi whispered to Cubbi.

"Yeah, I'm with you," Cubbi answered, and the two of them rushed to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, the kitchen was not free of fights either. Tummi and Cubbi had opened the kitchen door just in time to hear Grammi yell at Grubbi at the top of her lungs.<p>

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND? WE CAN'T SERVE THAT AT THE PARTY!"

"Barbics have always served this punch at holiday feasts, and it's never harmed anyone!" Grubbi shot back at her. "A little alcohol doesn't kill!"

"THERE ARE GOING TO BE CUBS THERE!" Grammi hollered.

"So? They have the right to a little fun!"

"Maybe we should come back later?" Cubbi suggested to Tummi.

"Yeah, I don't think Grammi's ready to serve lunch now," Tummi agreed, carefully shutting the door behind them.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in Ursalia's library, Zummi was on edge. He had spent most of the previous day unpacking his books and repairing what he could, and rearranging them on the shelves, which he was now dusting for longer than was necessary just for something to do. When he could no longer find dust to clean, he looked around.<p>

This library was much larger than Gummi Glen's was, yet it felt far less friendly to Zummi. So many shelves stood empty. It was small comfort he had donated some old books to Ursalia's library when the Glens fixed up the city, and that Artie had retrieved some of the books from the wreckage in the Glen, yet it was not enough to return that sense of peace and serenity Zummi used to get from being surrounded by the ancient Gummies' knowledge.

It then occurred to the elderly wizard that he had not been near the Great Book of Gummi since the move to Ursalia had begun. Perhaps reading some of it now would help calm his nerves. He approached the stand in the corner where the book was laid, and pressed his medallion to the lock. The book opened instantly on the last page Zummi remembered reading. It contained the levitating spell he had used to fly on the book to warn the Great Gummies from sailing into a trap. Zummi was relieved to see the book's ink wasn't smeared from falling into the water. Apparently the magic bookmark Thornberry had given Gruffi worked to protect the Great Book from destruction.

Zummi turned the pages slowly to see if they were all intact, and was pleased to see that they were. He then landed on a page in his own writing, where he had documented the Gummies' most important achievements in the past three years. At the top of the page were the words _Today we helped a young boy save his kingdom._

Zummi wished he had time to read the whole page. There was something soothing about recalling the times he had been proud to defend Dunwyn. But he was sure it was almost time to head for the ocean shore. The Gummies had decided to meet in front of the house and leave together at three thirty in case the Great Gummies arrived early, while Artie flew to the shore to keep a look out. Zummi glanced at the clock on the wall. Three thirty-two.

"Oh, I'm late!" Zummi cried, dashing outside and arriving out of breath.

* * *

><p>The other Gummies waited for him, looking almost as nervous as he felt. Even the Barbics didn't look as sure of themselves as they usually did.<p>

Gruffi paced several times around the garden, making sure everyone was present.

"Okay," he addressed the group. "Now that we're all here, there are some things we need to talk about before meeting the Great Gummies."

"This ought to be good," Ursa mumbled sarcastically to Gritty.

"First of all," Gruffi began, ignoring Ursa, "we don't know exactly why they are coming back now, so we've got to be careful about how we ask them."

"We know, Gruffi," Sunni replied. "Don't mention we have human friends until we see where they stand on peace."

"Exactly," Gruffi said. "Now, I hope they are not planning to fight humans, but just in case they are…"

The sentence was never finished, because at that very moment the bears heard a loud squawk, and looked up to see Artie fly towards them at top speed.

"Artie!" Gusto cried out. "It can't be time yet, can it?"

Artie gave him a quick nod. "AWK! There's a ship headed to shore right now."

The Gummies looked at each other excitedly for a moment, and then began scrambling towards the ocean shore as fast as they could. Only Zummi remained rooted to the spot a moment longer, his heart pounding. Though he had tried to mentally prepare for this moment for several days, he did not feel ready. He was just on the verge of hyperventilating again, when another loud squawk from Artie woke him from his thoughts.

"AWK! Are you going to go to shore already?" the toucan squawked impatiently. "Or are you waiting for the Gummi express?"

"No… I-I'm coming," Zummi answered. Gathering his strength, he ran after his friends.

* * *

><p>At the shore, the Gummies waited anxiously for a few minutes, shading their eyes with their paws. They scanned the blue ocean line before them, and gasped in excitement. After hearing a fog horn toot, they spotted a vessel from a distance, which was approaching them slowly. Although it was still too far to dock, they were now able to make out the Gummi bears' symbol on the sail.<p>

Zummi suddenly realized his medallion was emitting a warm, bright glow. The ship must have been somehow magically protected. Apparently the Great Gummies were prepared for the possibility of another attack by humans. Zummi hoped this was a good sign, but he could not help but notice only one Gummi ship was arriving, when last time there had been three.

The following moments seemed to be the longest the Gummies had ever experienced. Whatever happened next, they all knew that as soon as the vessel approaching them lowered its anchor, their lives would never be the same.

Finally, the moment came where the Great Gummies' ship was near enough to dock. Until then, many of the Gummies on shore were not aware they had been holding their breath. Ursa unconsciously rested her paw on her abdomen, but instantly removed it when she caught Gritty watching her. Thornberry wrapped one arm each around Gruffi and Grammi, hoisting himself a bit higher to get a better look, ignoring their annoyed glares. Zummi moved several paces behind the others, clutching his medallion as though he were withdrawing strength from it. He was so overcome with emotion that his eyes started to water.

The fog horn tooted again, signaling the Gummies to stand clear as the ship's ramp was being lowered to shore.

"This is it, this is it!" Cubbi whispered excitedly to Sunni, who signaled him to be quiet.

The first Gummi bear was now disembarking. He was a Gummi knight, dressed in a suit of armor, and was leading a unicorn pony with him, like the kind the Glens had seen in Gummadoon. The knight stopped in the middle of the way, apparently scanning the terrain with his eyes, finally deciding it was safe to move forward. He mounted his steed, and road to shore, followed by an army of Gummi knights, also on unicorns. Cubbi practically squealed with delight at the sight of them, but his voice was drowned out when more Gummies followed the knights.

Gusto elbowed Tummi excitedly as the two caught sight of several Gummi girls around their age, particularly drawn to one attractive bear with light reddish-brown fur and dark, curly red hair that fell down to her waist. She smiled brightly at the boys and waved, causing Tummi to turn a little red.

More Gummies continued to disembark, including a few families with cubs. Unlike the Glen cubs who were beaming at them and waving their paws in a friendly manner, these cubs seemed rather intimidated by the excitement. The smaller ones were clinging to their mothers, while the older ones kept to themselves and only gave small nods at Sunni and Buddi's direction.

Soon, only five Gummi bears remained on deck. The knight who had reached the shore first motioned to the others to stand straight as the last five made their way down. At that moment it became clear to the other Gummies the Great Gummi council was approaching.

The first councilor to arrive was a rather young female bear with hot pink fur and hair, which was half pinned back, letting the rest fall loose down her back. She wore a dark red velvet dress with a violet sash tied around her waist. She beamed at the Gummies around her as she made room for the other councilors to follow.

The next councilor was an overweight red bear in late middle age, dressed in an orange and yellow tunic with a matching hat. Like the first councilor, he seemed to be friendly and cheerful, though his manner was not quite as dignified as hers had been. He nearly stumbled as his feet touched the sand, and as soon as he took his place beside the first councilor he pulled a large golden bottle from his belt and took a large swig.

The third councilor was a panda like bear that looked quite old, and had a slight twitch. He was dressed in a cyan kimono not unlike the ones the Glens had received in the Far East, and he was carrying a wooden abacus with him for some reason, and was constantly fiddling with the beads as he looked around at the others. He tilted his flat cyan hat at the other Gummies and stood beside the red councilor, elbowing him hard in the ribs to make him put down his drink.

The fourth councilor was an old bearded bear with gray fur who wore a dark green velvet robe and matching boots, and a round monocle rested on his right eye. At the sight of this Gummi, the rest had stiffened a little, perhaps because he seemed more intimidating than the others had been so far. He barely smiled as he gave a curt nod to the others and looked a little cross as he studied the bears around him. He raised one eyebrow suspiciously as he spotted the Barbics' wild look, but did not comment. He stood at the far right side of the councilors, and the panda-like bear moved closer to him to make room in the middle of the line for the last councilor.

The last councilor was an elderly female bear. She had silver-white fur, and was dressed in dark blue silk, with a matching pointy hat that had a blue veil attached to it. She was not exactly beautiful, but she was elegant. Though her expression was kind, her appearance was almost as intimidating as the previous councilor's had been, perhaps due to the fact that she was the chief councilor. As soon as she had reached her place among the other councilors, she held out her arms as though embracing the Gummies around her.

"Greetings, fellow Gummies," she began. She was quite soft spoken, but still clearly audible. "It is a great honor to be back among friends who had worked so hard to preserve our old homes."

At the back of the crowd, Zummi fidgeted nervously. These words were not making things easier, but he knew the sooner he spoke to the councilors, the better. He moved forward slightly, trying to avoid the other Gummies' eyes. His head was hurting again, but he tried to ignore it.

The chief councilor went on. "I am councilor Mysti. We apologize for the long delay in our reply to your message, and for the short notice of our arrival, but in light of the attack the other day we had to use extreme caution in planning our voyage. Furthermore, some of you may have noticed only one of our ships has arrived."

The Glen Gummies tensed slightly, exchanging nervous looks.

"You see," Mysti continued. "There has been some dispute among us in New Gumbria, regarding the possibility of our return. Some officials do not believe the time is right for us to come out of hiding and make peace with humans." She paused for a moment, shooting a sideways glance at her fellow councilors. "For this reason, we've formed this delegation to Ursalia to examine our options. If conditions turn out to be favorable, we hope more New Gumbrians will be able to join us in the near future."

These words were greeted by a mixture of reactions from the crowd. Some of the newcomers were cheering with Ursalia's Gummies (though the Barbics' cheers were somewhat hesitant), while other New Gumbrians looked doubtful. Zummi even thought he saw a few Gummies giving this councilor a hostile look, though with all the anxiety he was feeling he may have just imagined it.

Mysti went on. "I know many of our travelers are now waiting to find new homes for themselves. So if we could all make our way to…" She stopped suddenly, having just caught eye of Zummi in the crowd. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

Zummi froze in his tracks, terrified. He hadn't spoken to the councilors yet, what reason could their chief possibly have for staring at him like that? He looked back at his friends, most of whom seemed puzzled. He saw Gruffi whisper something to Grammi, who nodded and the two signaled the other Glen Gummies to follow them towards Zummi.

Mysti approached him slowly, followed by the other councilors. They seemed as confused about their chief's behavior as the rest of the crowd was. When they drew near, however, they seemed to understand. The red councilor elbowed the pink one and winked, and they both beamed at Zummi.

Mysti held out her paw for Zummi to shake, which he did nervously. "Your name's Zummi, isn't it?" Mysti asked softly.

Zummi barely managed to nod yes. He could not even ask how the councilor knew his name.

Mysti beamed at him as though welcoming an old friend. "It's wonderful to finally meet you. We were so worried you might not have... after that attack…" She gave his paw a squeeze, rapidly regaining composure. "We are indebted to you. On behalf of all New Gumbrians, we thank you for saving our lives."

It took a moment for Zummi to take in what he had just heard. Before he could say anything, there was an explosion of cheers from the crowd. Several Gummies had approached him to shake his paw, and the red councilor even pulled him close to plant a kiss on each of Zummi's cheeks. All the bears around him seemed to want to thank him, but in the confusion Zummi couldn't make out a word they said. Soon he lost sight of councilor Mysti and of his friends. The entire shore seemed to be spinning around him. He tried to ask the Gummies around him to let him speak to a councilor, but his voice was too faint.

Several feet behind, the other Glen Gummies were also trying to squeeze through the crowd to reach Zummi. They called out to him several times, but their voices were lost in the din. Gruffi nearly fell over when another Gummi accidentally shoved him aside. Only Cubbi was small enough to get passed the other Gummies' legs, but even he could not get very far before tripping over a Gummi knight's foot.

The knight grabbed Cubbi's arm and helped him up. "Easy there, Sir Cubbi," he laughed. "You could get trampled on here."

Cubbi stood stunned for a moment. How in the world did this Gummi know who he was? He looked up nervously to see the knight lift his helmet and smile at him.

"Chummi!" Cubbi practically squealed in delight.

Councilor Mysti, meanwhile, stood a few feet away from the crowd, waiting for the noise to die down. She soon caught sight of the gray councilor, who also seemed to be avoiding the crowd, and was a little taken aback by the angry look he was giving her. She chose to ignore this, deciding it was time to rescue Zummi from the crowd's enthusiasm. The Gummies nearest to her moved back to let her pass, but before reaching Zummi she was pulled back for a moment by the panda councilor.

"Your honor?" The councilor asked.

"What is it, Priggy?" Mysti asked, trying to hide her annoyance.

Priggy held up the abacus in his paws. "I've added up the number of Gummies I could find here. I really don't think there are enough of us here to handle humans…"

"It's too soon to decide anything," Mysti told him. "We don't know the humans' strength in this land yet. We'll have to consult the Glen Gummies about that. Now come on, help me scatter the crowd."

Priggy nodded and moved away to the other end of the crowd, while Mysti continued forward on her own. Finally, she managed to catch sight of Zummi, but then froze in her tracks, startled. By this time, the crowd had quieted down, and was rapidly moving away from Zummi, who was panting heavily and clutching his head. His face was covered in cold sweat.

Mysti cautiously approached him. "Zummi? Are you all right?"

Zummi looked up at her, but this movement only made the dizziness worse. "I… I have to tell you something…" He just managed to whisper. He took a deep breath, and slowly released it. The dizziness passed. He now noticed his friends had finally managed to catch up to him. He quickly held up his paw at their direction, warning them not to interfere.

The other councilors now gathered around Mysti, waiting to find out what was going on. Zummi forced himself to stand up straight, trying to ignore the numerous eyes he was sure were staring at him. He particularly tried to avoid looking at the gray councilor, who was standing right next to Mysti and eying him suspiciously through his monocle.

Zummi swallowed hard. It took him all his strength not to lose his composure. "I… I really didn't deserve all those cheers… I mean, I'm glad I managed to warn you about the trap, but…" He forced himself to look straight into the chief councilor's eyes. "But the reason you were lured into that trap in the first place is because I… I made a terrible mistake… This also caused us to lose Gummi Glen."

The councilors stared at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. Restless murmurs could be heard coming from the surrounding bears. Mysti held up her paw to silence the crowd.

"Go on," She told Zummi.

Zummi trembled slightly. "I sent you the message to return home because I thought it was safe," he swallowed again. "But then, an old enemy came back after being gone a year… and because I dropped my guard he managed to somehow plant the termite on me… and the Glen was destroyed." His voice shook slightly on the last words.

An uncomfortable silence followed Zummi's confession. The councilors exchanged looks, seeming to consider what to do next. Zummi could not tell if they were angry or not. He wished one of them would finally speak. The uncertainty of his situation felt worse to him than anger.

Finally, Mysti spoke. "I think we need to hear more about this," she announced to the other councilors as well as Zummi. "Is there a place we can sit down to discuss the matter?"

Thornberry stepped out from the crowd and stood beside Zummi. "The Old Council-chamber is in the city's central square, your honor," he told Mysti.

"Thank you," Mysti replied. "Please lead the way, sir."


	8. Chapter 8: Filling in the Blanks

_A/N: I apologize for not posting this not in the previous chapter. I don't own Gummi Bears. If you recognize the characters from the show, I don't own them either. _

**Chapter 8: Filling In the Blanks**

The walk from Ursalia's shore to the central square seemed much longer than the other way around. Thornberry led the councilors with Zummi trailing behind, terrified. Behind him the rest of the Gummies followed, the Glens and Barbics mixing with the New Gumbrians. All around, Gummies were staring at the food and decorations prepared for them at the square.

The pink councilor moved closer to Thornberry. "You really went all out for us," she said.

"This is for the party we're throwing for you," Thornberry told her. "When you decide to stay."

"_If_ we decide to stay," Priggy muttered, glancing at his abacus.

"Ah! Here it is," Thornberry called out, as though he were showing tourists a fun exhibit instead of a building where crucial decisions about Gummies' lives were made.

They reached the largest building in the square. It was a white building, that seemed composed of several cylinder shaped structures, with tiny green tiles forming arches over the door and windows, and the golden domes that formed the roofs glittered brightly in the sunlight. After over a year of renovation, the place had a powerful majestic aura about it. It was hard to believe it was once the shabby, faded building where Gruffi and Cubbi had caught Thornberry in a trap when they first met. The traps were now well oiled and stashed several feet apart around the buiding's lobby. As the bears entered, the gray councilor eyed the devices with slight suspicion.

"Security measures," Thornberry explained when he caught the gray councilor's eye. "Been using them to defend the city for the past few decades, I did. Never abandoned my post. Gummi knights always defend their homes with their honor, I always say. Or is it horror?"

"Thank you, Sir," Mysti finally spoke up, now becoming a little impatient. "I'm sure you've done a terrific job, but we have important matters to deal with, so if you'll kindly show us to the council-chamber…"

"Heh? Oh, why didn't you say so?" Thornberry asked. "You must have important matters to deal with."

Priggy elbowed the red councilor by his side. "This old bear's a worse lunatic than you," he whispered.

"Yeah, I like him already," the red one answered, chuckling. He then turned his attention to Zummi, who seemed to be staring at the other Gummies gathered in the lobby if only to avoid looking at the councilors.

"Hey, cheer up," he told Zummi gently. "The council will deal with you fairly. Just tell us what we need to know and we'll do what we can to make things right."

Zummi caught the councilor's eye and tried to relax under the sympathetic look he gave him. "Thank you, Councilor."

"Councilor Chutni," the red Gummi answered. "And really, I've seen the chief deal with hundreds of cases and she's always fair."

Zummi took a deep breath as he followed the councilors to an inner passage in the lobby, entering a large circular room that strongly resembled the council-chamber in Gummadoon. The walls were painted bright white, and the shiny, pale green floor reflected the sunlight that entered through the large windows that surrounded the high ceiling, separated from each other by tall, white columns. The ceiling itself was composed of green and gold tiles that formed the Gummi symbol, and about a dozen of chandeliers hung from it. Thornberry saluted the councilors and left to rejoin the other bears.

Mysti led the councilors to the five thrones that stood on a low stage in the back of the room. She took the seat in the middle and signaled the other councilors to sit down as well. The old bearded councilor sat at her right, looking very stern. Zummi quickly glanced around at the other councilors, who seemed more sympathetic towards him, then forced himself to look straight at Mysti. There was something about the look she gave him that made him feel a little more secure. She did not look as though she were judging or pitying him. He hoped what Councilor Chutni said about her were true.

"All right," Mysti began. "The council will hear you now. First, please tell us about the man who attacked us and destroyed Gummi Glen."

Zummi swallowed hard. "Your honors… th-the man is an evil man named Duke Igthorn. Three years ago, he started attacking Castle Dunwyn repeatedly, trying to overthrow the king, and…"

"Repeatedly?" The young pink councilor asked.

"Yes," Zummi answered. "My friends and I…we've managed to stop him in the past… But it hasn't been easy. He was ruling Drekmore and had an ogre army at his command. But a year ago, they just vanished from Drekmore. We've waited to see what would happen, but when he didn't come back…" Zummi nearly lost his nerve. It was not easier getting the words out the second time.

"You thought it was time for us to come home?" Priggy asked, holding up his abacus, apparently trying to decide whether or not to move the beads.

"Well…" Zummi tried to regain courage. "He… he and his ogres were the main obstacle on the way to peace with humans. He tried several times to use our inventions as weapons against Dunwyn. But what he wanted most from us was our juice."

"Why our juice?" the pink councilor asked. "What good would bouncing be to him?"

"Humans don't bounce with gummiberry juice," Zummi replied. "They become super-strong for a minute. So do ogres. But it only works on humans once a day."

Priggy quickly fiddled with the beads on his abacus. "Super-strong…" he muttered under his breath.

"And there are no other human threats besides him?" The gray councilor asked. He had a deep, strong voice, which made him appear even more intimidating. "He was the only reason you have never sent for us before?"

"N-no," Zummi trembled slightly. "We have other enemies, but… he had the most knowledge about us. And he was the only one with a truly powerful army… The only other human we've considered a real threat was a witch called Lady Bane, who has a smaller troggle army. But she never knew where to find us, and she's also made herself scarce lately… I was sure she was a threat we could still handle at least. She wants our magic, but she doesn't know how to handle it."

"You're sure of this?" The gray councilor asked suspiciously.

"She has tried to destroy us once with the quilt of the ancient Gummies," Zummi explained. "But she couldn't use it against us, it backfired on her."

"She doesn't know Gummi magic can't harm Gummi bears, then?" Mysti asked.

"No," Zummi answered.

The gray councilor still seemed unconvinced, but Mysti had decided there were more pressing matters to discuss. "So this Igthorn returned a while ago with termites?" she asked.

Zummi lowered his eyes in shame. "One termite. But it was a species I've never seen before… it was…" He tried to block the images of the Glen's destruction out of his mind. "It destroyed everything so fast…"

"But termites like that were never found near Dunwyn!" the panda councilor exclaimed, his twitch suddenly becoming more noticeable. "My records show that the ancient Gummies researched on termites before they built Gummi Glen."

"Igthorn must have traveled far to find one," Zummi told him. "That was why he was gone… then he just needed one of us to drop our guard." Zummi wished the council would hurry and deal with him. His headache was now getting worse.

Mysti eyed Zummi with concern, but knew they were not yet finished. "What happened afterwards?" she asked. "How did all this lead to him attacking us?"

Zummi forced himself to look at her again. "He captured me and two of my friends… and he stole the Great Book of Gummi. He forced us to make juice for him in this factory he built in Drekmore Castle. He used it to make his ogres super-strong and attack Dunwyn. I managed to escape to Ursalia and get help, but our Gummiscope broke down, and we couldn't send you a warning in time. When we freed the rest of the Gummies, some of them went to free the Dunwynians from Igthorn, and the others destroyed the juice factory. I went to find the Great Book and escaped with it. Well, you know the rest. It was just luck that I got to you in time."

"So this Igthorn was stopped?" Mysti asked. "He's no longer a threat?"

Zummi shook his head sadly. "We can't be sure he's gone for good. We only managed to overthrow him from Dunwyn and destroy Drekmore Castle with the factory. But he's still out there."

"And there's really no hope of repairing Gummi Glen?" Chutni asked.

"Even if we could, Igthorn now knows where to look for it. Its defenses are too weak." Zummi lowered his eyes again. "He caught me when I got out that night. We had no choice, we had to bury the remains and seal the passages."

"And Ursalia is protected from these enemies you've mentioned?" The gray councilor asked.

"Igthorn and Lady Bane know where to find Ursalia, but we have better defenses here," Zummi explained. He had a feeling he would never convince this councilor they were well protected. Admittedly, he wasn't sure of it himself. "Sir Thornberry and the Barbics are always on the watch, and there are many obstacles on the way here from Dunwyn…"

"Who are the Barbics?" The pink councilor asked.

"Gummies from Barbic Wood," Zummi explained. "They live here now, and they've helped me free my friends when Igthorn imprisoned them."

"You mean the wild-looking bears we saw on the shore?" The gray councilor asked.

"Yes."

"So how did they end up here?" Priggy asked.

Zummi swallowed hard. "They were driven out of Barbic Wood."

"By humans?" the gray councilor asked.

"Yes," Zummi whispered.

An uncomfortable silence followed. The councilors seemed to be mulling things over. Finally, Mysti spoke. "Some time ago, a Gummi bear named Chummi arrived in New Gumbria. He told us about you and mentioned you have human allies at Dunwyn."

"Yes," Zummi told her. Now he understood how Mysti knew who he was on her arrival. "I know it's not much, but many of the Dunwynians we've defended are decent people, including King Gregor. I'm sure we can find more allies."

"Is the king one of your allies?" The gray councilor asked. "Does he know about us?"

"No, but his daughter does," Zummi told him, thankful he finally had something encouraging to say. "Princess Calla. She's still very young, but she's been a good friend to us for a long time. And there's a young page at Dunwyn named Cavin who's been practically family to us. His Grandfather, Sir Gawain, found this." He held up his medallion to show the council. "Cavin gave it to me when we met. And Sir Gawain is now one of my closest friends."

"And is this man in any position of power?" The gray councilor seemed skeptical. "Does he have any influence on the king?"

Zummi thought this over for a minute. "He was a knight once," he answered, feeling slightly more confident. "I know King Gregor respects him."

"So our allies are two children and an old ex-knight?" The gray councilor asked, and there was no mistaking the contempt in his voice.

"Stratus, please!" Mysti seemed to be restraining herself from yelling at him.

"Uh… yes, they are," Zummi told the councilor called Stratus.

Another silence fell. Priggy continued to fiddle with his abacus, while Chutni took another swig from his bottle.

Mysti then stood up. "Very well," she turned to the councilors. "Councilors, we will meet back here in ten minutes. We have much to discuss. Zummi, please come with me."

Zummi stiffened a little. He couldn't imagine why she wanted to see him away from the other councilors, but he didn't dare ask her. Did she want to avoid Stratus? He shot a glance at the gray councilor, who seemed to be staring at Zummi in disapproval through his monocle. Zummi quickly looked away from him. The little confidence he had regained while talking to the councilors rapidly vanished. All he could do now was follow Mysti silently as she led him to a narrow staircase in the back of the lobby.

During the walk, Zummi looked around for his friends, but failed to find them. The place seemed to be packed with chattering Gummies who were waiting to hear the council's decision regarding their stay in Ursalia, or else to find out how and if Zummi would be punished for his mistake.

Zummi expected Mysti to address the restless crowd, but to his surprise, she did not even try to get their attention. In fact, she seemed to want to avoid it. She just signaled Zummi to follow her to a quiet spot behind the staircase. She even took off her hat to make herself less conspicuous.

"Your honor?" Zummi asked nervously, unable to restrain himself further. "Please, why are we…"

"This isn't something you'd want overheard," Mysti answered.

Zummi felt more confused than ever. Something HE wouldn't want overheard?

"It's something I noticed on shore, and again in the council-chamber," Mysti explained. "I wanted to ask if…" she seemed to be choosing her words carefully. "If you were feeling alright lately?"

"I…" Zummi felt himself turn red. This was not a question he expected from the chief councilor. Had his recent health problems been that obvious? He hadn't thought about it much, but he suddenly realized how he must look after several days of not getting enough food or sleep.

"Listen, I know this is awkward," Mysti told him, her voice sounding even gentler than before. "But after seeing you get hit by the catapult the other day, none of us knew what to expect… if you survived at all. And today I did notice you seemed in pain."

"Well, I… I guess I've been kind of … tense lately," Zummi fidgeted uncomfortably. "I mean, what with your arrival, and our move here…"

"All the same," Mysti gently touched his shoulder. "I don't think you should take chances with your health. Did you at least see a doctor?"

"We don't have a doctor here," Zummi told her. "My friend, Grammi, is closest to one. She handles our… uh…health related problems."

"I see," Mysti replied softly. "Well, in that case, there is someone I think you should see. Her name is Ebony."

"She's a doctor?" Zummi asked.

"Yes," Mysti answered. "An excellent doctor. I'm not underestimating your friend, but since she's not a professional…"

"I understand," Zummi told her. It still seemed strange to him that Mysti took that much interest in his health, but at least it proved she had compassion. Perhaps she wouldn't judge him too harshly after all. "I'll talk to Ebony and find out when she can see me."

"Does Ursalia have an infirmary ready?" Mysti asked.

"Yes," Zummi told her. "Just on the other side of the square."

"Good," Mysti told him. "I think the councilors and I will need to take our time with our decision. You might as well find out if she can see you now."

"Now?" Zummi asked nervously. He tried to think of a counter argument for this, but he couldn't. Before he could say more, Mysti put her hat back on and turned to leave.

"The other councilors would be waiting for me," she told Zummi. "Go find Sir Chummi."

"SIR Chummi?" Zummi asked in surprise.

"Yes," Mysti smiled, amused by his reaction. "You find him, you find Ebony." With that, she stepped out from behind the staircase and headed upstairs.

To Zummi's slight relief, finding Chummi wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. Although the room was crowded, the New Gumbrians seemed more willing to give him some space this time. Perhaps they were too anxious to hear the council's decision to ask questions, or perhaps they, like Mysti, had noticed Zummi's health problems and didn't want to badger him. Either way, it was a relief to be able to walk through the room without being mobbed. Finally, he heard familiar voices. He looked around and saw his friends gathered around a Gummi knight, who was engaging them in a story. Though he was not used to the suit of armor, Zummi knew at once who the knight was.

"So there I was, starving and nearly dehydrated, nearly all my supplies run out or ruined by the tyrant Igthorn's attack," Chummi announced proudly. "Just as I thought I'd pass out at the stirring wheel and end up as shark bait, I spotted it: New Gumbria." He paused for a minute, enjoying the applause that followed these words. "I knew if I were going to make it, I'd have to act fast. I gathered all my strength," he bent low and reached out to grab Cubbi, who was nearest to him, "I grabbed the stirring wheel," he hoisted Cubbi over his shoulders, "and with a final burst of steam, I just managed to land on shore."

Cubbi laughed excitedly as Chummi put him back down on the floor while the other Gummies, including several New Gumbrians, awarded Chummi with more applause.

"So what happened next?" Sunni asked curiously.

"Ah, that's the best part, Pumpkin," Chummi winked at her. "I just landed, stepped out of my airship, and…" he watched their growing curiosity with amusement. "I passed out on the spot."

"Urgh!" Sunni and Cubbi groaned.

Chummi chuckled at their response. "I woke up in the infirmary a few hours later, to find myself treated by the most beautiful female doctor a bear has ever seen." He turned and grabbed the hand of a female Gummi bear that was standing behind him during his story. She had shiny black fur, and her hair was tied in what looked like hundreds of skinny braids. She wore a long, white dress with a red Gummi symbol sewn beside the collar. She also carried a small baby in her free arm.

"My loving wife, Ebony. And this," Chummi took the baby from her to show the other Gummies, "is Skippy. The fruit of our passion."

"Believe it or not, most of this story is true," Ebony teased him.

"Ah, phewy!" Cubbi moaned. "This story just got boring."

"It's a shame Zummi's missing this," Tummi sighed.

"I'm not," Zummi called out to them, catching their attention.

"Zummi," Gruffi hurried over to his side, closely followed by Grammi. "What did they say?"

"You're not in trouble, are you?" Grammi asked. "I thought Councilor Mysti seemed a reasonable bear…"

"She wants me to see Ebony," Zummi told them.

"She- what?" Gruffi asked, surprised.

"Ebony's a doctor, right?" Zummi reminded him.

"Yes, but…" Gruffi and Grammi exchanged confused looks. "Didn't the council say anything about staying here?"

"They still have to discuss it," Zummi told them.

"But they're not blaming you or anything like that, right?" Sunni asked.

Zummi tried not to think about the way Councilor Stratus looked at him as he left the council-chamber. "I guess they'll discuss that too," he told them.

Cubbi glanced nervously at the passage to the council-chamber. Would the councilors really treat Zummi as badly as the Gummadoon councilors have treated Cavin? Unable to endure the pressure, he tugged a little on Sunni's dress, signaling her to step away from the others with him.

"What?" Sunni asked once the two of them were out of earshot.

"Sunni, what if the councilors punish Zummi for what happened?" Cubbi asked.

"They won't," Sunni answered impatiently. "Zummi hasn't committed any crimes. He made a mistake anyone could have made."

"I know," Cubbi said. "But what if the councilors don't see it that way?"

"It's not going to happen!" Sunni insisted.

"Well, there is a way we can find out for sure," Cubbi told her. He checked to make sure the older Gummies weren't listening. They all had their attention on Zummi, who was just being introduced to Ebony as he explained his problem to her. Ebony nodded and led Zummi away, with the other Gummies following them to the exit.

"What are you up to now?" Sunni asked, though she thought she knew what Cubbi had in mind.

"The council's meeting now, right?" Cubbi reminded her.

"So?" Sunni asked.

"Look over there," Cubbi pointed to a narrow staircase, which led to a balcony that surrounded the building. The walls on that floor were decorated with paintings. "Thornberry showed me these paintings last year. They all have secret passages behind them. One of them could lead to the council-chamber."

"You're not suggesting we-?"

"You want to know what they're planning to do, right?"

"We'll find out anyway!" Sunni told him. "We can't just…"

"What if they are planning to hurt Zummi?" Cubbi shot at her. "Don't you want to able to warn him?"

"I'm really going to regret this," Sunni muttered to herself. "Okay, we'll go. But make sure they don't catch us."


	9. Chapter 9: Consultation

**Chapter 9: Consultation**

As it turned out, eavesdropping on the council's discussion wasn't as hard as Sunni and Cubbi had thought. The first portrait they had tried was of a Gummi knight, and as Cubbi expected, it had a passage behind it that led straight to a trap door. Sunni hesitated a little before the cubs pulled the door open, and sure enough, the other side of the door revealed itself to be one of the ceiling's tiles in the council-chamber. Though they were very high up, it was not difficult to hear what the councilors were saying.

"His words were hardly encouraging," Stratus told the council. "We can't base our plans for peace with humans on this. Two children and an old man for allies against a witch, a tyrant, and masses of ogres and troggles don't give us a good starting point."

"He didn't say anything about masses," Chutni reminded him.

"Might as well be, Chutni," Priggy told him, holding up his abacus. "There are far too few of us here to handle them."

"Even so, Zummi mentioned the Glen Gummies have managed to hold this Igthorn tyrant at bay for three years, ogre army and all," Mysti pointed out. "With Ursalia's defenses and the help of our knights…"

"Our chances aren't much better," Stratus interrupted, ignoring Mysti's glare. "Igthorn and Lady Bane know about Ursalia, with their armies they can find a way around its defenses."

"But they haven't so far," Chutni said. "By the time they do, if they do, we could find more human allies."

"We can't count on that!" Stratus insisted. "Remember that many humans have been dangerous to us. Many still are."

"But this Igthorn is as dangerous to the humans in Dunwyn as he is to us," the pink councilor pointed out. "Maybe they'd be willing to ally with us against him."

"Even if they do, they may prove to be a danger to us afterward," Stratus told her. "And then they'll know of our existence and it'll be too late to do anything about it."

Priggy prepared to push a few more beads around on his abacus, but Mysti held her paw up to stop him. "Rosetta made a good point just now," she nodded at the pink councilor. "Many of our history records show that good relations were formed between humans and Gummies when they were united against a common enemy."

"That's true," Priggy agreed, resuming his task of fiddling with the abacus, but pushed the beads in the opposite direction from which he had planned. "I've come across many of those stories when I did my research on the Gummies of the Far East. It's thought that many humans still honor their alliance with Gummi bears."

"Humans in the Far East aren't much help to us here," Stratus dismissed him. "There were stories of humans and Gummies joining forces in Dunwyn too, but that hasn't stopped them from betraying us."

"That was over five-hundred years ago," Chutni reminded him. "These humans may be totally different."

"Human nature doesn't just change!" Stratus insisted. "It's risky enough to take our chances with our known enemies, but we cannot risk the lives of so many Gummies by revealing ourselves to so many new humans. I doubt the few Glen Gummies there are here are prepared for this."

"But the Barbics seemed like they were prepared for battle," Rosetta said.

Stratus shook his head. "In the wild, bears are only trained to watch over small groups and attacking foes one-on-one. They're of little use to us against massive armies."

"Zummi told us the defenses here are good," Chutni reminded the others.

Stratus shook his head. "He was basing that on the assumption that other humans will be our friends."

"Still, he and the others have managed to face these dangers successfully before," Mysti counter-argued. "I don't think we should be quick to waste this opportunity for peace. The Glens will know more about the humans in Dunwyn than we do. If they believe it's safe…"

"Zummi believed it was safe when he summoned us, and he was wrong!" Stratus said with some contempt.

"He was wrong about Igthorn being gone, not about the other humans," Mysti corrected him. "He's helped defend them for three years, so…"

The sentence was never finished, since at that moment, they were interrupted by a loud scream. Upon hearing the contempt in Stratus's voice regarding Zummi, Cubbi had lost his balance at the trap door and grabbed Sunni's paw as both cubs slipped and fell into the room. Priggy quickly got to his feet to find out who the intruders were, and was instantly knocked off his feet as Sunni and Cubbi landed on him. Instantly, Priggy gasped and began to wheeze.

"What's going on there?" Mysti asked, now getting up herself and hurrying toward Priggy's side. When she spotted the source of the trouble, she lightly slapped her forehead. "Oi vay!" She moaned.

"Get away…" Priggy managed to say between gasps, pushing the cubs away from him. "Highly allergic… cub fur…"

"Priggy, you can finish gasping at your seat," Mysti told him dryly, helping the panda councilor to his feet. As soon as Priggy moved away from the cubs, Mysti turned her attention to them herself. "What were you two children doing up there?" she asked firmly.

"We… we were just…" Cubbi began as the cubs got on their feet.

"We just wanted to know what's going on," Sunni managed to say once she found her voice. "No one out there will tell us…"

"There's nothing to tell yet," Stratus told them angrily, joining Mysti's side. "And anyhow, the council's business is no matter for children."

"We're really sorry," Cubbi told him.

"Ah, go easy on them, your honor," Chutni told Mysti. "The kids just wanted to know if we're going to leave or not. It's not like they were trying to sell our secrets. "

Rosetta then approached the cubs. "You two are from Gummi Glen, right?" she asked the cubs, who nodded.

"Please, your honor," Rosetta turned to Mysti. "They just lost their home. We can't really blame them for not wanting to be kept in the dark."

Stratus glared at her, but chose to resume his seat, leaving the matter to Mysti.

"Please go back to your family now," Mysti told the cubs. She still looked displeased, but her voice was softer.

Sunni nodded and prepared to leave, but Cubbi lingered behind a moment, ignoring Sunni's annoyed glare. "Uh… your honor?" He asked hesitantly, wondering if he was pushing his luck.

"Yes?" Mysti asked.

"The Barbics did help us fight the ogres," he explained. "They're really good against armies too."

"Thank you," Mysti told him, grabbing his paw and leading him to the door with Sunni following. "The council will take this into account. No go on with your friend."

"My sister," Cubbi corrected her. "Uh… just one more thing… please?"

"What is it?" Mysti asked gently.

"I know Zummi sent you the message, but we all thought it was safe for you to come back. It really looked like it at the time…"

"That's what worried you?" Mysti asked. "Zummi's not in trouble. His was a mistake anyone could've made. Now please, we have important business to discuss."

"I told you," Sunni hissed at Cubbi. "C'mon, We've bothered them enough." She grabbed her brother's arm and dragged him after her.

Mysti smiled slightly as she shut the door and returned to the other councilors. "They are one devoted family, aren't they?" she asked.

"Little brats," Priggy mumbled, having just recovered from his wheezing.

"Ah, knock it off, Priggy," Chutni dismissed him. "You know that allergy's all in your head."

"I hope my lungs know that," Priggy shot back. He cleared his throat loudly. "We've got a lot of bears waiting outside for us to make a decision; we'd better get a move on."

"I still say returning here is too dangerous," Stratus insisted.

"But Councilor Stratus, think of what will happen if we don't do this," Rosetta spoke up. "Berryborn is no longer an option for us. Great Bearton may not be either. And New Gumbria is overpopulated. Our welfare conditions are worse than ever because we can't support so many lives there. If we don't build more homes for Gummies in Ursalia or any of the old warrens, our existence is endangered anyway."

"Besides," Chutni added, "think about how peace with humans will help our economy. I'll bet there'll be a market for our machines, our potions, our books…"

"Most of our old warrens are too close to human dwellings," Stratus reminded them. "We try repopulating them, and the humans will treat us like intruders."

"Not if it's a gradual return with their consent," Mysti said. "If the king can be made an ally, he can provide us land."

"And what humans would give up land for us?" Stratus asked her. "The fact that they drove us across the ocean won't matter to them. They'll think of our old warrens as their property."

"If the king understands our side, there's a good chance other Dunwynians will follow his example," Mysti told him. "If he really is a decent king his subjects will respect his opinion."

"We are leaving too much to chance by returning," Stratus said. "Our first priority should be our safety."

"The Berryborns didn't return, and that didn't keep them safe forever," Mysti retorted. "New Gumbria may not stay a safe home forever either."

Priggy looked at his abacus, which now had an almost equal amount of beads on each side, though he was sure some of them were shifted when the cubs landed on him. He sighed in frustration.

"I suggest we review our notes, re-read our reports on welfare in New Gumbria, and then we vote," Mysti announced. "Agreed?"

"Agreed," the other councilors answered.

* * *

><p>Ursalia's infirmary bore a strong resemblance to the one the Glen Gummies had occasionally seen in the churches of Dunwyn. There were two parallel rows of beds covered in white sheets, with long, black candlesticks standing at the right of every second bed. The stone walls were painted in a soft, cream color that turned bright gold in the soft candlelight. At the eastern wall was a stained glass window, but unlike the ones in Dunwyn's churches, this one was an image of Gummi healers gathering herbs from the woods. Another noticeable difference was that at the corner of the room the Glen Gummies had arranged a play area for cubs. There were boxes overflowing with dolls and toys Sunni and Cubbi had donated, boxes of puzzles arranged neatly on the floor, and a tall bookcase containing old books Zummi had donated, as well as a few new ones he had written himself since the project of rebuilding Ursalia had begun.<p>

Zummi waited patiently for Ebony to finish examining him, and did his best to answer her questions. Finally, the moment came when Ebony allowed him to get dressed while she studied her notes. When both bears were ready, Ebony sat at the edge of the bed beside Zummi's.

"Well, Zummi," Ebony began softly, "the good news is, your physical examination shows no sign of heart or lung disease."

"That's good," Zummi replied meekly.

"I think the trouble you've had with breathing is due to all the stress you've been under," she explained even more gently. "Your muscles are pretty stiff, that's why you've been feeling pain in your side. That could be from tension or exertion, or a result of the impact from the fall you took the other day."

"Yeah, I thought that's what it was," Zummi whispered. "So it'll just go away by itself?"

"Yes," Ebony told him. "You can also try applying heat to your muscles. A few days of hot baths should help. What I'm more concerned about is your headaches and dizziness. Does the dizziness always feel like vertigo?"

"No," Zummi told her. "There were moments when I just felt lightheaded."

"After moments you felt you couldn't breathe?"

"Yes, I think so," Zummi replied. "I think I was hyperventilating."

"Well, at times of anxiety it's very likely," Ebony agreed. "And vomiting can happen sometimes too."

"I threw up twice," Zummi told her. "First it was a few hours after falling into the ocean, and I felt better afterwards. The second time was two days ago after dinner… after getting vertigo."

"The first time was probably because you swallowed sea water," Ebony explained. "But have you had vertigo spells before?"

"Yes," Zummi told her. "Five years ago I… I had a concussion. In an accident."

Ebony's eyes widened slightly. Apparently, she had been looking for something like this. "How did it happen?"

"There was a bad storm, and then a cave-in…I don't remember all the details," Zummi's voice tightened.

Ebony considered this for a moment. She was sure there was still something Zummi wasn't telling her, but then decided it was too soon to press the subject.

"So what happened afterwards?"

Zummi composed himself. "Afterwards, my head hurt constantly, and I'd get vertigo spells all the time. I also started having trouble with my memory, and I couldn't concentrate. It's been that way for months after… but then I started feeling better. But things were never the same…I still have trouble with my memory. And I get vertigo spells now and then. Not as often as I used to, but I thought they'd stop by now."

"The effects of concussions could sometimes last for several years," Ebony explained. "Were your headaches persistent since?"

"I don't feel them all the time," Zummi told her. "Usually just when I'm very tired or tense."

"And it's hurt more these past few days?" Ebony asked.

"Yes," Zummi told her. "But the pain isn't the worst part. It's how the anxiety's affecting me."

"What do you mean?"

Zummi hesitated a little. Telling Gusto the other night was hard enough, he did not want to repeat it. But then he remembered feeling better when it was over. He told her everything: The feelings of unreality, the sense of being in a daze when trying to adjust, his inability to shake off his guilt for the loss of Gummi Glen, his shame for failing to protect his friends from Igthorn, and the constant fear for his friends' lives.

Ebony stared at him for a moment in concern. "Zummi," she began cautiously, "when you had that accident five years ago…was someone else with you? Someone close to you?"

Zummi didn't answer, but his silence seemed to tell Ebony what she needed to know.

Ebony sighed. "I know losing your home was a very traumatic experience for your whole family," she said softly. "For you, it must have also been a painful reminder of… your accident."

"I don't know," Zummi barely managed to say. "I don't remember what I was thinking. I just felt like my heart was shutting down."

"It's normal," Ebony told him. "You were in shock."

"So were all my friends," Zummi replied. "At least, I think they were. But now they're managing to move on. I know they're in pain too, but they seem normal…"

Ebony touched his shoulder gently. "Zummi, everyone reacts to grief a little differently," she told him. "And the way you were involved in an experience like that also matters. From what you told me, you were separated from them that night."

"Yeah," Zummi whispered, feeling a little dazed. "Igthorn kidnapped me before I found out if my friends survived."

"And then there was his attack," Ebony agreed. "That is a lot to endure at once."

"Yeah," Zummi agreed softly. He felt his eyes water again, and quickly turned away so Ebony won't see.

Ebony made a few more notes for herself, giving Zummi time to dry his eyes. "Severe anxiety can in itself cause many of the symptoms you've been having," she told Zummi as she turned to face him again. "But it can also trigger vertigo if there is another underlying cause, like post-concussion headaches. And I'm sure the headaches were made worse by lack of sleep and little food intake."

"So I have a physical problem made worse by emotional anxiety?" Zummi asked, forcing himself back to calmness.

"It's more like a vicious cycle," Ebony explained patiently. "Your physical problems are making the experience more terrifying, causing you to feel more anxious, and vice versa."

Zummi sighed heavily. "So what should I do about it?"

Ebony gave him a half smile. "Your condition will improve in time," she said. "Until then, all you can do is alleviate the symptoms. If your head still hurts, rest when you need it. I can prepare a brew for you that will help you sleep. It'll be ready tomorrow."

"Thanks," Zummi told her.

"Also, you should try gradually returning to a healthy diet," Ebony continued. "Vegetables and fiber are especially important. If you're not in too much pain, you should try some light exercise every day, like brisk walks. It's a good way to get rid of tension."

Zummi nodded in agreement. "Anything else?"

Ebony thought this over for a minute. "If you're still anxious, it could help if you talk to someone. Are you comfortable with sharing your feelings with your friends?"

"Some of my feelings," Zummi told her. "But others are harder to tell my friends."

"Well, I'm available if you need more support," Ebony told him. "And you can also find some healthy outlets for your pain. If you have any relaxing hobbies or calm activities you enjoy, now would be a good time to practice them."

Zummi tried to think of something that might help, but it was hard to concentrate. His mind was still preoccupied with his discussion with Ebony and with the anticipation of the council's decision. His eyes fell on a clock on the wall opposite him. It was almost six thirty.

"Are we finished?" Zummi asked, suddenly a little stiff.

"I think so," Ebony replied. "You can come back tomorrow at noon for the brew. I'd like to see you again in a month, but if your symptoms do not improve in a few days you should come sooner."

"Okay," Zummi told her. "Uh… I think we should head back now."

Ebony followed Zummi's gaze to the clock. "All right," she agreed. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>The restless crowd that still gathered at the lobby of the main building told Zummi that the council had not yet announced its decision, yet Zummi knew it wouldn't be long. Luckily, it wasn't hard for him to find his friends the second time. As he expected, they lost no time in bombarding him with questions, which Zummi was only willing to answer to pass the time.<p>

Ebony, meanwhile, made her way to rejoin Chummi and Skippy, when Gritty caught her eye and beckoned her to join him for a private chat.

"Hi," Gritty whispered. "Your name's Ebony, right?"

"Yes," Ebony answered. It took a moment for her to take in Gritty's wild looking clothes and eye-patch. "You're not one of the Glen Gummies, are you?"

"No, I'm a Barbic," Gritty told her. "Name's Gritty. My wife, Ursa, is our leader. She's why I wanted to talk to you…" he carefully looked around to make sure they weren't overheard. "I know you'll want to settle in tonight, assuming you're staying and all, but do you think tomorrow Ursa can come and see you? She hasn't been feeling well these past few days."

"Sure," Ebony told him, trying to hide her confusion by the fact that Gritty was arranging an appointment for Ursa without Ursa being present. "Tell her she can come see me tomorrow morning at eleven."

Gritty thanked her and left to rejoin the Barbics, relieved to see that Ursa was busy talking to Buddi and didn't notice what he had just done.

Ebony sighed and headed toward Chummi and Skippy. As soon as she reached them, Skippy held out his arms for her to carry him, calling to her in baby talk.

Chummi handed the small cub to his wife, chuckling. "Your son's getting spoiled by your touch," he joked.

Ebony smiled sadly as she took Skippy and hugged him. She rested her head on Chummi's shoulder, asking him to hold her with her eyes.

Chummi's smile faded a bit as he gently put his arms around her and Skippy. "Ebony? Honey, is something wrong? Is Zummi's condition bad?"

"He'll be okay," Ebony replied softly. "Don't mind me. It's just that some of my cases remind me more than others how much my family really means to me."

Chummi returned her sad smile and gave her a squeeze.

A few minutes later, the doors to the council-chamber finally opened. The assembled Gummies gradually became quiet as the councilors stepped out of the room.

Once all the councilors had arrived, Mysti addressed the crowd.

"Thank you all for your patience," she began. "In light of the recent information we have received, the council had to rethink our mission."

The Glen Gummies huddled closer to each other, bracing themselves for the rest of Mysti's news. Zummi was staring at her with fixed determination. It was all he could do to keep from becoming too anxious.

"We do understand there are risks involved in staying in Ursalia, and particularly in re-inhabiting our old warrens," she shot a glance at Stratus. "However, we also are aware that we have an opportunity to establish peace with humans, and it is not one that is in our best interest to miss. New Gumbria is overpopulated, and we cannot rely on it to be our sanctuary forever. Therefore, we have decided to fulfill our mission here, and stay for a trial period as previously decided."

The crowd's reaction to these words was similar to the one that followed Mysti's first speech on the shore. Only this time, Zummi felt relieved by the applause rather than tense. The cheers even seemed more audible than before. He took a deep breath, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.

Mysti smiled as she waited for the crowd's enthusiasm to die down. "I think we've kept you all from finding houses for yourselves long enough. If you will all head outside, the locals will be there soon to help you."

Chutni now stepped up and addressed the crowd. "You've all got a few hours to settle in now," he announced. "I believe someone has promised us a welcome home party tonight at the square."

Many Gummies laughed as they made their way out of the main building.

"C'mon," Gruffi told the other Glen Gummies. "We're supposed to help them."

"There, you see, Zummerino?" Gusto beamed at Zummi as he slapped him lightly on the back. "There was nothing to worry about. The councilors know what they're doing."

"Yeah, I know," Zummi agreed softly. He tried to let go of the dread he had been feeling before. Did the fact that Mysti had not mentioned how the council will deal with him mean they forgave him? It was probable…

"Zummi, I think we can handle this without you," Grammi awakened Zummi from his thoughts once all the bears were outside. "Go home and get some rest."

Zummi didn't argue. After the ordeal he had faced that afternoon, he really was beginning to feel exhausted.

Now that the prospect of facing the councilors was over, it was a lot easier for him to relax. He was even beginning to feel pleasantly excited by their stay. It was finally sinking in. The Great Gummies have returned. Maybe, just maybe, he had not failed the others after all. This delegation from New Gumbria could be the first step towards peace!


	10. Chapter 10: Getting to Know Them

**Chapter 10: Getting to Know Them**

"Isn't it finished YET, Toadwart?!" Igthorn snarled. "You and those troggles have been working on that machine for almost three days!"

Lady Bane's courtyard was beginning to look like an abandoned tool shed. After spotting the location of Gummi Glen, the witch and the duke have wasted no time in searching for blueprints of old Gummi digging machines. They have finally found one labeled "Mole Machine," and have since worked Toadie and the troggles to the bone to get them to build it.

"Toadie is very sorry, oh forgivingness one," Toadie groveled at his boss's feet. "But nasty Gummi machine is very complicated for simple Toadie and witch Lady's troggles. Not a job that can be done in a few days."

"Well, you'd better find a way to simplify it, Toadie," Igthorn threatened him. "Or your days will be numbered." With that, he grabbed Toadie by his pointy ears and tossed him back into the work zone.

As Igthorn walked away, he could hear Toadie call out orders to the troggles. "C'mon, guys, job not as hard as it looks. You finish soon and Toadie will treat you to double dose of slops tonight." This call was answered with troggles squealing in outrage and throwing their tools at the duke's lackey. Apparently Toadie had forgotten he was no longer dealing with ogres.

"Good help is getting harder to find than ever," Igthorn moaned as he approached the entrance to Lady Bane's castle. He found the witch in her lab, bent over a cauldron, with a book open at a stand beside her.

Upon hearing him coming, Lady Bane looked up from her work in annoyance. "Haven't I told you not to bother me in here?" She glowered at him.

"I…uh… I just wanted to assure you, my lady," Igthorn tried to keep his cool, "that I've succeeded in getting Toadwart to work your troggles faster. With luck, the machine will be ready in a few days."

"It had better be," Lady Bane snarled. "We've lost so much time already. Who knows where those bears are by now."

At that moment, two troggles arrived at the room and stood at the door Igthorn had left open. After making sure Lady Bane was not busy with her potions, they entered, dragging what looked like a full sack behind them, and presented it to their mistress.

"Ah, back from Dunwyn at last, I see," Lady Bane eyed them in approval. "Excellent. Now you two can head out back and help your friends finish building our machine."

"Machine! Machine!" the troggles hurried out of the room instantly.

Igthorn looked from Lady Bane to the sack and back again in confusion. "My Dear?" he asked. "May I ask why you've sent these two troggles to Dunwyn?" He tried his best to restrain himself from adding, _without telling me?_

"You'll see in a minute," Lady Bane replied. "Bring the sack to that desk over there." She pointed to a desk at the corner of her room that had been cleared from its books and charts.

Igthorn obeyed her, relieved to discover the sack was not too heavy. Lady Bane joined him at the desk, and lifted the sack to dump its contents. Igthorn watched eagerly, expecting something exciting that would help them with their scheme, but was soon more confused to find out the sack's contents were anything but helpful. The desk was now piled with peasant garments and hats, a sewing kit, a few old rag dolls, some coins and a comb. His immediate thought was that the troggles had blundered in whatever mission Lady Bane had given them, and expected the witch to explode in fury at any minute, but he was stunned to find her pleased by what she saw.

"These will do fine, for now," Lady Bane said, lifting a doll from the pile. "So this what Dunwynian peasant girls play with?" She tossed the doll into a trash bin under her desk.

"Are… are these important potion ingredients, my Dear?" Igthorn asked, unable to stand the curiosity any longer.

"Potion ingredients?" Lady Bane scoffed. "Have you ever heard of a potion made from such mundane objects?"

"Well, I…" Igthorn tried to hide his offense at Lady Bane's mockery. "I knew you were brewing a potion, so I just assumed…"

"These are not for my potion," the witch replied. "But since hunting the Gummies down is taking some time, I intend to put the delay to good use. I've sent my troggles to Dunwyn to rob the locals a bit at a time. Of course, they can only rob peasants at the moment, as the aristocrats are too well protected. The Dunwynians cannot know who is behind the robberies."

"But how is robbing peasants helping us?" Igthorn asked.

"I assume your last attack on Dunwyn has caused much confusion and fear among the residents," Lady Bane explained. "This serves our purpose well, and I intend to keep it that way."

When Igthorn still looked confused, Lady Bane went on. "Now that Gregor is back on his throne, the Dunwynians are bound to feel more secure. We cannot allow this to happen. Robbing peasants may not be a glamorous job, but it helps create an atmosphere of panic and confusion. And by the time we have the information we need on the Gummi bears, Dunwyn will be in just the right state for the next phase of my plan."

"And what is the next phase of your plan?" Igthorn asked eagerly.

Lady Bane smirked. "Oh, Iggy-Pooh," she said in her best attempt to sound flirtatious. "You wouldn't want me to spoil the surprise, now, would you?"

Igthorn grinned foolishly at her. "Oh, of course not, my sweet," he managed to finally say when he found his voice, and at that moment he stopped worrying about her excluding him from her plans.

* * *

><p>Ursalia's central square has never looked more beautiful. Painted lanterns hung all around, sparkling against the night sky like gems. Multicolored banners floated in the breeze from every direction. Surrounding the square were long tables piled with various refreshments.<p>

But the most noticeable change was the dance floor at the center. It was alive with so many new Gummies, all in their fanciest clothes, and the friendly chatter was just barely audible over the music Sunni and Buddi were playing, along with a few Barbics and New Gumbrians who joined them.

"Well, Gummiamigoes, looks like we're a success tonight," Gusto chuckled as he stood by the punch bowl with Gruffi, Grammi and Tummi. The formal outfit Grammi had made for him weeks before consisted of a maroon velvet tunic, a white shirt and crimson belt. "Have you ever seen Ursalia look like this before?"

"I have to admit, things are moving more smoothly than I expected," Gruffi gave him a grudging smile as he sampled the punch. "Even Grammi's punch tastes better than usual."

Grammi smirked at him. "And Grubbi wanted to use alcohol." Then she sighed rather sadly. "I just hope Zummi feels well enough to join us later. It doesn't feel right leaving him home by himself tonight."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll come later," Gusto reassured her. "No Gummi can resist an occasion like this." He nudged Gruffi playfully, causing the latter to spill his drink. "Didn't I tell you my masterpiece would attract the crowd?"

The fan-like creation Gusto had made earlier was placed at the top of the square's fountain, and sure enough, several young New Gumbrians were staring at it curiously.

"Look at those kids admiring my work," Gusto gushed. "They just can't wait to meet the artist."

"They're just waiting to see if that thing will fall into the water," Gruffi retorted, helping himself to more punch.

Grammi laughed slightly, but stopped instantly when she turned her attention to Tummi. The younger bear seemed more interested in devouring the sweet rolls than in the dance floor.

"Tummi! Save some food for the newcomers!" Grammi scolded.

Tummi swallowed a mouthful. "I can't help it, Grammi. Watching all the dancers is making me hungry."

"It wouldn't if you stepped out there and tried mingling a little," Grammi replied. "Why don't you try asking some nice girl to dance?"

Tummi eyed the dance floor for a moment, suddenly hit with the jitters. "Uh… I don't know, Grammi…" he gulped. "What if they don't like me?"

Grammi smiled sympathetically. "They can't like you without knowing you first."

"Aw, c'mon, Tum," Gusto intervened. "Asking a girl to dance should be fun. I'll go with you so you can see how it's done."

"Uh… Okay," Tummi reluctantly followed Gusto to the dance floor.

On the way, the two companions ran into Cubbi, who was looking around for some cubs his age to play with. His formal outfit was a crimson tunic with gold buttons in the shape of the Gummi symbol, and the white collar on this tunic was much simpler than the one on his old formal outfit.

"Hi, little Cubster," Gusto greeted him. "Having fun?"

"Yeah, this party's great!" Cubbi beamed at his friends. "Chummi's been telling me all these stories about his training, and some of the kids are getting a real kick from watching Sir Thornberry dance over there," he pointed to a spot a few feet away where several New Gumbrians were standing in a circle, laughing and applauding at Sir Thornberry as he entertained them in his solo rain-dance.

"He's sure making it look easy," Tummi sighed.

"It's a matter of charm," Gusto told him. "Now it's time for us to make our move."

"What move?" Cubbi asked.

"Gusto's going to show me how to ask a girl to dance," Tummi answered.

"Why? What's the big deal about that?" Cubbi asked. "You just say, _would you like to dance? _And that's it."

"It gets a little harder when you're older," Gusto replied. He scanned the dance floor with his eyes, waiting for the right time to move. Finally, he spotted a pretty female Gummi about his age with chartreuse fur and a peach-colored dress. "Okay, I'm going in," Gusto announced.

Tummi watched Gusto approach the girl and hold out his arm to her. When he spoke, it was in a low, seductive tone.

"Hi, my name's Augustus Gummi, artiest extraordinaire. But everyone calls me Gusto."

The girl stared at him for a moment, and then hesitantly shook his paw.

"I've been watching you for a while, and let me just say your fur can put the spring grass to shame," Gusto continued in the same tone and kissed her paw.

The girl blushed slightly and giggled.

Gusto turned to face Tummi for just long enough to give him a quick wink. Then he turned back to the girl. "Would you honor me with a dance?"

The girl nodded, and within seconds she and Gusto vanished behind other dancing couples. Tummi could only stare in awe for a moment until Cubbi had to tug on his sleeve to get his attention.

"Tummi! Aren't you going to try next?" Cubbi asked impatiently.

"Uh… I think I need another snack before I try," Tummi told him, and hurried away to the refreshment table.

Cubbi rolled his eyes and resumed the task of looking for a new friend.

When Tummi reached the nearest table, he noticed two female Gummies around his age were standing by it too, just a few feet away. His first thought was to back away, but soon he noticed one of them was the red-headed girl he had seen on the shore earlier that afternoon. She was easy to notice in her fancy yellow dress and gold lace sewn on her sleeves and collar, and half of her hair was tied back with a gold ribbon. The other girl was not so easily distinguishable from the night sky. She had dark purple fur and was wearing a simple midnight blue dress that perfectly matched her hair, which was very long and almost hid her entire face.

"C'mon, Larken, do you really want to leave so early?" The red headed girl asked her friend. "The party's just getting started."

"I know, but I'm a little tired from the trip," the girl called Larken replied. "Anyway, you know I don't like dancing."

"But you won't go and play music with the others either," the red-head commented. "I thought we both agreed we'd try and make some friends tonight."

"It's easier for you than for me," Larken replied.

"C'mon, I'm sure these locals don't bite," the red-head pleaded. "Look, I'll prove it to you."

She turned away from her friend, and before Tummi knew what was happening, she headed straight towards him. At that moment, Tummi knew he could not avoid her, but he also had to admit to himself he didn't really want to.

"Hi," the girl smiled at Tummi as she reached him. She held out her paw to him. "I'm Ginger."

Tummi shook her paw, his face turning red. "Hi, Ginger… I'm Tummi," he finally managed to say.

Ginger tilted her head to the side and playfully twiddled her hair. "Great party, huh?"

"Uh… yeah," Tummi answered. He gulped, trying to remember what Gusto had said to the girl he asked to dance. "I… I've been watching you for a while, and…" he tried to remember the rest, but couldn't. All he could do now was improvise. "You're so… you look like…" he sighed with frustration. "I don't suppose you want to dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Ginger half laughed as she dragged Tummi to the dance floor.

As they passed by Larken, Ginger gave her an _I told you so_ look. Larken smiled meekly at her, but turned to leave the party nonetheless.

* * *

><p>Zummi stood at the edge of the square, watching the party rather nervously. While he promised his friends he would make the effort to show up, he wasn't sure he was ready to encounter any of the Great Gummies again right away. On the other hand, it was difficult to resist the cheering crowd and his friends' excitement at the chance of making new friends. What was more, it was unlikely that any New Gumbrians would be interested in interrogating him at a party. They were far more likely to want to socialize as well. A few moments later, he spotted Gruffi and Grammi by the refreshment table. He sighed with relief, finally deciding to join the party.<p>

"Zummi! Hey, Zummi!" He heard a familiar voice call.

It was Sunni. She waved and was rapidly approaching him, closely followed by Buddi.

"Hi," Zummi said softly as the two caught up with him.

Sunni threw her arms around him, beaming. "Grammi said you might not come tonight."

"I said I'd join you later," Zummi smiled a bit awkwardly as Sunni let go of him. He stared at her for a moment, for the first time noticing the new dress Grammi had made for Sunni. "You look beautiful."

Sunni giggled. "Thanks."

Zummi smiled at her and Buddi. "So… are you kids enjoying yourselves?"

"Yeah," Buddi replied, finally managing to tear his eyes away from Sunni momentarily. The dyed red rama fleece tonic he was wearing clashed horribly with his friend's dress. "We've met some nice bears already. We were just playing music with some of them."

"Yeah," Sunni agreed. "We just thought we'd take a break for a while and join the dance..." her voice trailed off for a moment. She had just caught a glimpse of the dance floor, and her smile faded as she saw Gusto dancing with a girl with crimson fur and hair. The girl wore a very low cut silver dress, and she was holding Gusto a little too close for what the dance required.

Sunni frowned in disdain. "On second thought, maybe I'll go find some girls to talk to. I'd love to know what parties are like in New Gumbria." With that, she turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowd.

Buddi was a bit taken aback by Sunni's sudden departure. "What's with her?" He asked Zummi, staring at the direction Sunni was watching a moment ago. "Oh, I get it," he groaned as he caught sight of Gusto himself.

Zummi followed his gaze, sighing. He had a hunch this would happen sooner or later now that Gusto had the chance to meet some girls his age. "Uh… Buddi, I'm curious," Zummi asked cautiously. "Have you tried asking… any girls to dance tonight?"

"No," Buddi answered, turning a little red. "I've never danced like that before." He pointed to the dance floor where every dancer was holding his or her partner close as the musicians played a slow number.

Zummi smiled at him. "There's always a first time."

Buddi smiled shyly, then he, too, departed to join the dancers.

Zummi headed for the refreshment table, hoping he had not been too pushy. Assuming Buddi would take his advice, he had no doubt about whom the young Barbic would ask to dance.

As Zummi expected, Grammi lost no time and fussed over him the moment he reached her and Gruffi. "Zummi, you made it!" Grammi said enthusiastically, hugging him. "I was moments away from going back to the house to check on you."

Zummi hugged her back for a moment, and then pulled away, looking anywhere but at the dance floor. "Yeah, well… I thought if I didn't come tonight, it would be harder to face the Great Gummies later."

"You did good," Gruffi replied in a somewhat thick voice. "Hiding from your problems is not the Gummi way." He put down his glass, looking a little tired.

"Gruffi?" Zummi asked, a bit concerned. "Are you tired already?"

"It's been a long day," Gruffi answered, picking his glass up again and refilling it with punch.

Zummi sighed and poured himself a glass of water. "So… did either of you dance yet?"

"Not yet," Grammi answered. "Most bears our age we've seen tonight are married or aren't dancing either. They probably feel this party is mostly for the young."

"Well, I wouldn't say that," a voice intervened.

Grammi and Zummi looked around to find two bears approaching them, and Zummi's medallion emitted a bright glow. The speaker was Councilor Chutni, and the other was Councilor Rosetta, their medallions glowing as well. Chutni wore Chartreuse and yellow tunic with about a hundred buttons sewn on, which he had apparently bewitched to flash different colors. Rosetta, however, was dressed in a simple, magenta velvet dress. Zummi fidgeted nervously, hoping they would focus their attention on Gruffi or Grammi rather than him.

Chutni beamed as he joined them at the table, grabbing himself a glass of punch. "I never bought the idea you stop enjoying parties when you're older."

"Chutni, careful with that punch," Rosetta told him. "You already wolfed down half of your wine bottle."

"Aw, c'mon, Rosie, it's a special occasion," Chutni replied, elbowing Gruffi playfully and accidently knocking him on the floor. "Oh, sorry," he laughed as he helped Gruffi to his feet.

"Don't worry, Councilor," Grammi smiled at Rosetta. "The punch isn't strong. Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying the party."

"Yeah," Rosetta smiled back. "I can tell you were all really looking forward to us coming. You did a great job with our new homes."

"So you found a house you like?" Zummi asked, now feeling more secure knowing the two councilors have come to make friendly conversation rather than bring up problems or judge him.

"I love it," Rosetta replied, beaming. "I was hoping for a nice house like that for when, and if, we decide to stay in Ursalia. It's a good place to raise a family."

"Are you and your husband planning to have kids soon?" Grammi asked.

Rosetta smirked. "My _wife_ is still in New Gumbria," she answered. "We were thinking of adopting a child once we were clear on where we'd be living."

"Oh, I see," Grammi smiled a bit awkwardly, hoping she hadn't embarrassed Rosetta with her question.

But Rosetta didn't seem embarrassed. She only smiled at Grammi and turned her attention to Zummi. "So, are you feeling better after talking to us?" she asked, her tone gentle.

"Uh… yeah," Zummi told her, turning a little red. "Much better. I just hope things will work out for the best."

Rosetta nodded. "We all do," she replied. "But don't worry. I may not have been in the council very long, but I know the other councilors are more than skilled to handle stressful situations…" She hesitated a little, since from the corner of her eye she just caught sight of Councilor Priggy not far away, who seemed to be having another asthma attack as several small cubs climbed on top of him, trying to play with his abacus. "Well," Rosetta continued, "some of us more than others."

"Oh, dear!" Zummi whispered when he spotted what caught Rosetta's attention.

"Please excuse me," Rosetta said. "I have to go rescue someone from the clutches of cuteness." With that, she departed.

"Don't worry," Chutni told Zummi. "Priggy's just got an imaginary allergy to cubs. He's not in real danger, he just… used to be a teacher."

"Who could be scared of cubs?" Grammi asked.

"I don't get it either," Chutni told her. "I love little cubs. They're fun to be around. If I were married, I'd have one cub every year."

Grammi laughed. "I see why Councilor Rosetta was concerned about the wine."

Chutni laughed. "I was only kidding," he reassured her. "I love cubs, but Bachelor life suits me."

"Don't want a woman to nag you, huh?" Gruffi asked, smirking at Grammi.

Grammi glared at him. "Better a nag than a pint-sized mule-head," she retorted.

Chutni laughed again. "Actually, I enjoy being around women," He smiled at Grammi. "I'm just not looking to get too attached to one. But I know I've got to be careful with the ones I find attractive."

Grammi laughed a bit nervously. "So what do you do with women you try not to get attached to?"

Chutni started telling her about the parties and nightlife in New Gumbria. Zummi half listened for a while, when he heard a soft feminine voice speak to him.

"Zummi?"

Zummi turned around to find himself face-to-face with Councilor Mysti. "Y-your honor," he stammered. "Uh… good evening."

Mysti smiled benignly. She wore a black velvet dress with tiny silver jewels sewn on, giving the dress a glittering appearance, and further illuminating her silver-white fur. "I was hoping I'd see you tonight. There are some things I'd like to talk to you about."

Zummi's heart pounded. "Uh… all right," he managed to say. He looked back at Gruffi and Grammi, hoping their presence would provide him with some support.

Unfortunately, Gruffi chose that moment to grab some more punch, and Chutni had taken a break from his stories to try some of the food. "You know, this party's great and all," Chutni told Grammi. "But the food tastes like it's been cooked by a five-year-old."

"Maybe we'd better find someplace quieter to talk," Zummi told Mysti, quickly signaling her to follow him away from the table.

A moment later, he heard Grammi shout at the top of her lungs. "WELL, THERE'S GRATITUDE FOR YOU! EVER TRIED TO PREPARE THIS MUCH FOOD IN ONE DAY FOR AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF GUESTS?!"

"Councilor Chutni put his foot in his mouth again, hasn't he?" Mysti asked Zummi, half laughing.

"He's lucky he's a councilor," Zummi answered. "Or Grammi might've made him wear her food instead of eat it."

Back at the table, Chutni had already made a quick exit. Grammi groaned in fury and leaned back, slamming her paw on her forehead.

"More trouble with the food critics?" Gruffi laughed. Only it wasn't his rare but normal laugh, it sounded somewhat "goofy."

"Shut up," Grammi shot back without looking at him.

Gruffi laughed again. "I guess I'll go mingle now," he stepped away from the table for a moment, but lost his balance as though completely disoriented.

This caught Grammi's attention instantly. "Gruffi?" she asked, starting to feel a bit worried. She hurried over to his side and caught his arm before he could fall on the ground.

"I'm fine," Gruffi told her. "You two could let go now."

Grammi dragged him back to the table, forcing Gruffi to lean against it for support. Then she approached the punch bowl. "Did you drink anything besides the punch tonight?" She poured herself a glass and sampled some punch. Instantly, she slammed the glass on the table. "I'LL KILL GRUBBI! I COULD JUST KILL HIM!"

Gruffi didn't notice. He moved away from the table and was about to move towards the dance floor, when Grammi caught his arm again.

"Oh, no, you don't," she scolded. "I'm taking you back to the house. We don't need you to embarrass yourself in front of the Great Gummies. It seems _someone _switched the punch while we weren't looking."

* * *

><p>Finding a quiet place to talk turned out to be harder than Zummi thought. First, they tried crossing the dance floor to the tables on the opposite side, but the music and chatter was making it too difficult for them to talk. Zummi was slightly cheered, however, when he caught sight of Sunni and Buddi dancing together, and Sunni was apparently making an effort not to let Gusto and his current dance partner bother her. Next, Zummi tried leading Mysti to Ursalia's fountain, but there Ursa and Gritty seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument.<p>

"I told you to stop fussing over me!" Ursa yelled furiously, her arms crossed over her white rama fleece dress. "If I want to see a doctor, I will! But I'm the one who's got to decide!"

"If I leave this up to you, you wouldn't go until something goes seriously wrong!" Gritty snapped back. "Ebony agreed to see you tomorrow, and you're going if I have to drag you there, kicking and screaming! It's for your own good!"

"This isn't working," Mysti told Zummi as the two of them tried to avoid the argument before they were spotted. "You wouldn't mind getting away from the party for a little while, would you?"

Zummi felt a little uncomfortable being alone with her, but as he looked back at the party, he thought for a moment he saw Councilor Stratus watching them through his monocle, looking displeased. Perhaps getting away was a good idea. "All right," Zummi told Mysti.

They left the central square, walking quietly for a while until they reached the tower that used to hold Ursalia's deadliest weapon before the Gummies had dismantled it. They decided to climb the stairs so they could still see the party. When they reached the top, Zummi tried to relax. This was about as high as he could stand it. He watched Mysti for a while, waiting for her to speak.

Mysti smiled at him. "You and your friends did a great job with the party," she said. "And I love the house they found me."

"Good," Zummi answered faintly. He cleared his throat, trying to muster some confidence. "I'm glad. I know it wasn't easy for you to make the change."

Mysti nodded. "Yes, this is going to take some getting used to. I know it wasn't easy for you either," she added gently. "Did Ebony help you?"

"Uh, yes, she did," Zummi turned a little red. He was sure Mysti didn't ask him to leave the party just for this. "She mostly told me things I already knew, but it felt good to have someone professional confirm it for me and understand."

"So she said you're going to be alright?" Mysti asked hopefully. "The attack… you don't have any lasting injuries?"

"Nothing fatal," Zummi told her. "I'm going to be okay. I just… need some time to recover from everything that's happened."

"I can imagine," Mysti said sympathetically. She sat on the platform that used to bear the horn, signaling Zummi to sit beside her. "But it'll probably be easier now that you've talked to us, right?"

"I hope so," Zummi replied as he sat down. "I-I have to admit I was expecting the council to punish me."

Mysti smiled. "I got that idea when two cubs from your family were caught eavesdropping on us when we held our meeting."

"They-What?!" Zummi asked in a mixture of shock and embarrassment. "Sunni and Cubbi eavesdropped…?"

Mysti almost laughed at his reaction. "Don't worry, I understand they were worried about you. It obviously means they care," she added in a gentler voice.

"I'm going to have to talk to them," Zummi told her, relieved she wasn't angry.

"Probably," Mysti agreed. "But I thought you should know the council doesn't blame you for what happened. We realize you and your friends aren't professional warriors, and there are so few of you to preserve the old warrens as well as defend a kingdom. What's more, from your description of this Igthorn, it sounded like he meant to destroy Gummi Glen, no matter what. And with an army at his side, all the odds were against you."

"I shouldn't have sent the message inviting you to come back," Zummi said sadly. "Even if the damage to Gummi Glen was inevitable, putting you and all the Great Gummies in danger was not."

Mysti touched his shoulder gently. "Zummi, inviting us to come back would've been risky with or without Igthorn. Even if we someday reach peace with humans, there are bound to be some that will always be dangerous to us. It's just a question of what dangers we can handle. Anyway, we were never going to punish you. It took a lot of courage to save us that day, as well as come clean to us immediately."

Zummi lowered his eyes, unsure how to respond to this. Mysti's arguments in his favor made sense, and they were comforting, but he could not shake off the feeling of responsibility for having summoned the Great Gummies directly into a violent attack.

Mysti seemed to sense his struggle. "You know, if you hadn't summoned us, sooner or later we probably would've returned anyway."

Zummi looked up at her in surprise. "You would?" he asked. "But… we still haven't reached peace with the humans."

"I know," Mysti answered seriously. "But you see, Berryborn was destroyed in a brutal attack years ago, and Great Bearton was invaded by humans once too. New Gumbria remains the only Gummi kingdom unknown to humans, and it's becoming overpopulated. Many of us have come to understand we can no longer wait for it to be safe."

Zummi felt his heart pound at this piece of information. "Were many Gummi bears harmed in these attacks?" He asked fearfully.

"Yes," Mysti replied grimly. "Few survived the attack on Berryborn. The Great Bearton population was luckier. They repelled their attackers, and evacuated most Gummies in case there would be another invasion. Some are still there to protect the place, but the warriors aren't skilled enough to protect so many bears. We needed to re-inhabit warrens near the humans, both for the purpose of peace and to learn their strength if we will be forced to fight."

"But if these attacks happened years ago, why haven't you returned before?" Zummi asked.

"Until three years ago, we didn't know if any Gummies were left in Dunwyn. But one day, we received a gummiscope message, and we knew. I sent my reply, asking if it were possible to re-inhabit our warrens and make peace with the humans. But I never got an answer, just another message asking me to repeat the first."

Zummi nodded. "I sent you that message. We lost the first one because Igthorn attacked us again, and he stole the scope to attack Dunwyn. We had to destroy the scope in the end to protect the kingdom. But before we did, I had to try to find out what you wanted to tell us. But that message was lost too."

"Well, we received more information when Chummi arrived in New Gumbria. But all he could tell us about humans was that he's met some allies as well as enemies." Mysti sighed. "After that, we debated about coming back. We weren't sure if the risk was greater than the reward. Your message was what gave us the motivation to come here to find out. It's true we didn't expect to be attacked right away, but we didn't expect conditions to be ideal for peace either."

"I understand," Zummi replied softly.

Mysti smiled at him for a moment, and then became serious again. "Zummi, another reason I wanted to talk to you now is, I'm going to need some help with analyzing the situation. I need someone who knows this world to provide some guidance."

"Oh, sure," Zummi agreed. "All of us will help you anyway we can."

Mysti smiled again. "Good," she said. "I'll let you know when I need you." She stood up. "I think I've taken enough of your time tonight. You can go back to the party if you want."

Zummi followed her to the stairs. "Are you coming too, your honor?"

"No, I think I'll go home," Mysti replied softly. "I'm a little tired."

Zummi nodded in understanding. "Will you find your way back to your place from here?" he asked. "Or… would you like me to walk you there?"

Mysti thought this over. The city was strange to her, and the offer was too kind to refuse. "I'd appreciate it, thank you."


	11. Chapter 11: Exchanges

**Chapter 11: Exchanges **

"I still don't understand how you did it," Grammi grumbled as she half-lead, half dragged Gruffi into the house. "Drinking that much punch would've made you sick even if it were mine."

"Especially if it were yours," Gruffi laughed as he staggered through the door.

Grammi glared at him, but chose to let that comment slide. "I'll deal with you again in the morning, when you feel like your head's going to explode," she told him. "We're just lucky I got you out of that party in time."

"Wasn't much of a party in the end," Gruffi muttered as Grammi struggled to get him to climb the stairs. "The music was too dry and the food was too loud." He leaned over the banister and looked as though he were about to fall asleep.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Grammi scolded. "You're getting into bed right now!" She dragged him to the second floor and opened the door to Gruffi's room. "Good night!"

She turned and headed for her own room, not realizing that Gruffi, in his state of confusion, did not go into his room, but was still following her. She rubbed her eyes in exhaustion as she opened the door and entered, and pushed the door to close it without looking back. Gruffi stared at the door for a moment, suddenly overcome with exhaustion himself. He leaned forward on the door and dosed off.

After changing into her nightgown, Grammi opened the door, and, much to her astonishment, Gruffi fell forward and landed on her, knocking both bears to the floor.

"Oooh, you darn old fool bear!" Grammi yelled at him and pushed him off of her, but was then surprised and even more annoyed to discover that Gruffi was snoring. "And you still sleep!" She groaned and got to her feet, then pulled Gruffi to his.

Gruffi opened his eyes for a moment, but seemed completely unaware of Grammi's anger. "I think I'll sleep now," he mumbled, heading for Grammi's bed.

"Oh, no! You're going back to your room!" Grammi ordered. She tried to drag him by his fancy collar, but Gruffi didn't budge easily.

"The heck with this thing," Gruffi moaned, unfastening his collar and collapsing a foot away from Grammi's bed.

Grammi slapped her forehead in irritation. "Fine," she muttered, recognizing defeat. "We'll switch rooms tonight. But you'd better make sure you keep all that punch down while you're here. I've got to wait up for the cubs and make sure they don't see you like this." With that, she left the room and shut the door.

"Sure… sure…" Gruffi mumbled from the floor. He made a final effort to get to his feet and reached Grammi's bed. He pulled off his formal outfit and lay down on top of the covers, falling asleep within seconds.

* * *

><p>The walk to Mysti's house was considerably more relaxing than the talk on the top of the tower, though somewhat awkward. Mysti seemed to have decided they had dealt with enough serious issues that day, and was determined to keep the conversation light and easy.<p>

"Ursalia really is beautiful," she said softly, admiring the buildings she and Zummi passed. "It's amazing how so few of you managed to tend to such a large city in such a short time."

"Well, I guess it helped to have Sir Thornberry guard the city for fifty years," Zummi replied, smiling slightly.

"Yes, he mentioned protecting the city from Lady Bane when he helped me find a house," Mysti smiled. "Is it true Ursalia has the largest library of all Gummi warrens?"

"It's larger than any I've seen," Zummi answered, his smile fading. "But it doesn't have too many books anymore. Those that remained here after the ancient Gummies left wore out over the years. I donated some of mine when we repaired the city, but it's far from being like the library in…" he lowered his eyes.

"In Gummi Glen?" Mysti asked gently.

Zummi composed himself. "Well, we did save the Great Book of Gummi at least. And some more, with Artie's help."

"Which one is Artie?" Mysti asked.

"Artie Deco… he's not a Gummi bear. He's a toucan," Zummi answered. "He came to the Glen with Gusto after Gruffi and Tummi found him on a desert island."

"A desert island?" Mysti asked curiously. "How did he get there?"

Zummi shook his head sadly. "I don't really know. Gusto wouldn't talk about it when we asked him."

"Oh," Mysti was silent for a moment, looking a little awkward. Deciding it was best not to prolong the subject, she said, "Well, I can donate some of my books to the library. I have lots of them."

Zummi glanced at her, his interest sparked. "What kind of books?" he asked.

"All kinds," Mysti answered. "History, fiction, science… most of them I've collected from famous Gummi writers, but some I've written myself."

"You're a writer too?" Zummi asked, now feeling somewhat excited. "What did you write about?"

"Mostly about Gummies protecting human minorities," Mysti told him. "Over the years we had Gummies arriving at New Gumbria and the other Gummi kingdoms from all over the world. They all had stories to tell about humans, good and bad."

Zummi smiled. "My wife used to…" he stopped himself in time. He wasn't sure he wanted the conversation to turn in that direction. "I mean, are you interested in the ancient Gummi legends?"

"Yes, very much," Mysti replied, though she wasn't sure what this had to do with Gummies protecting human minorities. "Why?"

Zummi blushed slightly. "Uh… ro neason. I mean, no reason. I just… I just realized we have a lot in common."

"Ah," Mysti replied awkwardly, but instantly regained composure. They walked in silence for a few more minutes, until finally, they stopped by a somewhat small house. "Here it is," Mysti said.

Zummi hoped he didn't look too surprised. Many of the homes he and the other Glen Gummies had renovated for the Great Gummies have been large and quite grand, and he did not expect the chief councilor to choose one of the smaller, modest ones.

Mysti seemed to sense his confusion. "I thought it was better if the larger homes were given to the Gummies with families," she explained. "I just wanted something small for my personal space."

"Oh… I see," Zummi answered meekly. He hoped his reaction hadn't made Mysti uncomfortable. "So… you live alone?"

"Yes," Mysti replied casually as she opened the door. "Well, thank you for walking me back here." She held out her paw.

"Wha- oh, sure," Zummi turned an even deeper shade of red as he shook her paw. "No problem." He swallowed hard. "Good night."

"Good night," Mysti smiled at him. With that, she entered her house and closed the door.

Zummi stood outside a moment longer before heaving a heavy sigh and heading for his own new home. He hoped he had not been too out of line. He had to remember Mysti was the chief councilor, and kind as she was, she was still an authority figure, not his friend. He would need to be more careful not to discuss personal matters with her. Mysti did not seem angry, but if she required his help, they could not afford to be awkward with each other. With luck, she will not hold the matter against him, as long as he didn't repeat the mistake.

* * *

><p>The next morning seemed particularly quiet in Ursalia. The weather was warmer than in the previous days, and as the previous night's party ran so late, most bears spent the morning sleeping in.<p>

Gruffi tried to open his eyes, wincing as the sun's rays shone through the window. His head was aching terribly, and the bright light felt like his own hammer was pounding the space between his eyes. He tried sitting up to get his eyes out of the light, but the movement caused him to feel nauseous. He could not remember the last time he had felt so lousy, or what might've happened the previous night that could make him feel that way. In fact, he could hardly remember the previous night at all.

He forced himself to open his eyes, and instantly his drowsiness was replaced with shock. He did not recognize the room he was in. He still had not adjusted to the new house, but the room was definitely not his own. After a moment of looking around, he caught sight of an apron hanging on a nail beside the closet. The room belonged to Grammi. Why was he in her bed? And where was Grammi? He quickly jumped out of the bed, and gave a small yelp as he tripped over something on the floor.

"Great Gallopin' Gummies!" Gruffi howled, now realizing he had left his formal outfit on the floor, and the scent of Grammi's perfume was rising from it. And he himself had nothing on. His face felt flushed. How exactly did _that_ happen? A moment later, he heard the doorknob turn. He instantly grabbed the blanket off Grammi's bed and held it to himself.

Grammi entered the room, fully dressed and carrying a bathrobe in her arms, and she looked rather annoyed. Gruffi wasn't sure whether he was more relieved or embarrassed to see her, but at least he could get some answers.

"Oh, you're finally up," Grammi grumbled, staring at the mess Gruffi had made of her bed.

"Uh… yeah," Gruffi replied, hoping his face wasn't too red. "Grammi… how exactly did I get here?"

"Don't you remember?" Grammi asked, laying the robe on the bed.

Gruffi shook his head. "I remember going to the party and drinking some of the punch, but after that… nothing."

Grammi gave a hallow laugh. "_Some_ of the punch? Please. You drank over half the bowl."

"Impossible," Gruffi insisted. "I never drink that much of _your_ punch!"

Grammi glared at him. "That was _not_ my punch. Grubbi switched it with his, and it had alcohol in it."

Gruffi groaned. "But how did I end up in your room?"

Grammi sighed in frustration. "You followed me here, and I couldn't drag you away from my bed."

"WHAT?!" Gruffi hollered, momentarily letting go of the blanket with one paw, and instantly grabbed it again before it slipped off his body. Did that mean what he thought it meant?

"In the end, I had no choice but to let you," Grammi continued, oblivious to the appalled look on Gruffi's face. "I thought I'd never get some sleep."

"And you…" Gruffi glared at her. "How can you be so calm about this? Were you drinking too?!"

"Oh, will you relax?" Grammi shook her head. "It wasn't _that_ bad."

"I don't believe this!" Gruffi moaned.

Grammi nodded at the bed. "You'd better put on that robe and get washed. I don't want the kids to catch you like this. Although it's a good lesson for them- why not to drink Grubbi's punch."

"You're not kidding!" Gruffi cried. "But if you weren't drunk last night, how could you let this happen?"

"Well, I didn't realize what was happening until you were nearly through."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah, the punch was almost gone before I realized it wasn't mine," Grammi told him.

"Oh, through with the punch…" Gruffi muttered. "That's not what I meant. How could you let me into your bed?"

"So, we switched rooms for one night," Grammi told him. "Like I said, your room's not that bad. Well, the mattress is a bit hard, but…"

"Wait a minute," Gruffi stopped her, suddenly realizing his mistake. "You mean, you slept in my bed last night?"

"I had to sleep somewhere," Grammi told him. "Why? What did you think I…" she stopped herself, suddenly realizing what Gruffi thought happened. The moment Gruffi slipped into the robe, Grammi dragged him by his ear to the door, and practically tossed him out of her room. "After all these years, how could you think that I…?"

"Don't blame me!" Gruffi hollered, rubbing his ear. "I could smell your perfume on my clothes, I woke up in your bed, it all looked like…"

"You really think I'd stoop that low?" Grammi hollered back.

"Is that another short joke?" Gruffi asked.

Grammi groaned loudly and headed downstairs.

* * *

><p>"And then, Chummi took me to meet the other knights!" Cubbi announced excitedly to Tummi as the bears sat down for breakfast an hour later. "He said, if the Great Gummies decide to stay, they're sure to let me train with them!"<p>

"It should be easy after Gummadoon," Tummi smiled at him.

Only Zummi and Gruffi had not shown up at the dining room yet. The younger bears had already decided not to ask about Zummi, who was usually late for breakfast even under normal circumstances, but Gruffi being late was a little disturbing to them. When Grammi arrived from the kitchen to serve porridge, Cubbi instantly turned his attention to her.

"Grammi, is Gruffi coming down soon?"

Grammi clutched the porridge bowl tightly, trying not to give away her anger. "He'll be here," she said in a somewhat strained voice. "He probably overslept after the party."

"I guess that means he enjoyed it?" Sunni asked.

Grammi gritted her teeth. "I don't know."

Gusto smirked. "Who would've thought the words _Gruffi_ and _enjoy_ would appear in the same conversation?"

Grammi rolled her eyes and sat down to eat.

Sunni, meanwhile, eyed Gusto somewhat accusingly. "You seemed to have fun yourself last night," she hissed. "How many girls did you dance with?"

"I lost count," Gusto answered casually, but the second he caught Sunni's eye his smile faded. "You know, it was exciting to meet all those new Gummies. I was just trying to mingle a little, it was nothing serious."

Sunni did not seem cheered. "Did you ask any of them to pose for you?"

Gusto smiled. "No," he said gently. "You know I couldn't use just any model. She'd have to be someone special, someone… unique."

Sunni looked a little relieved. She glanced at the others, suddenly remembering they were there. "Uh, Grammi," Sunni said quickly, hoping her face wasn't red. "You should've seen how the other girls my age were dressed. I think I'm going to need new clothes soon."

Grammi forced herself to put Gruffi out of her mind and smiled at Sunni. "All right, dear," she replied. "I'll go look around at what girls your age are wearing and see if I can match their style."

Sunni smiled brightly. "Maybe you can meet them soon," she said. "I was thinking of inviting some of them here for a sleepover."

"Well, we have to finish renovating the house first," Grammi reminded her. "But otherwise, it's alright with me."

"A bunch of girls like you in our house?" Cubbi asked, sounding appalled. "I think I'd move again."

Sunni glared at him. "Where to, the knights' headquarters?"

"At least I'll be doing something useful with them!" Cubbi retorted.

"Yeah, they can use you for target practice!" Sunni shot back.

"Stop it, you two!" Grammi scolded. "No fighting at the table."

"She's right," Gusto told him. "Better take this outside."

"Gusto!" Grammi snapped at him.

"I'm kidding!" Gusto told her, holding up his arms as though declaring peace.

Sunni and Cubbi glanced at him, laughing a little in spite of themselves. Grammi sighed, pleased at least that was over. "Cubbi, Dear," she began, "I think it's wonderful you have a chance to be a real knight now, but did you also talk to some bears your own age at the party?"

Cubbi's smile faded a little. "Ah, yeah, some," he replied. "But most of them left early."

Grammi nodded in understanding. "I guess it was tough for the cubs to stay up so late after their trip."

At that moment, Zummi entered the dining room. "Hi," he announced, looking a little tired but considerably calmer than he had been the past few days.

The others returned the greeting as Zummi sat beside Sunni.

"How are you feeling?" Grammi asked softly.

"Better," Zummi told her as he helped himself to some porridge. "I might be a little late for lunch today, though. I have to pick up the potion Ebony's making for me."

"Oh, that reminds me," Tummi piped up. "I'm not going to be home for dinner tonight."

"_You're_ missing dinner?" Grammi asked, sounding almost shocked.

"A girl invited me to eat at her house," Tummi answered. "Her name's Ginger."

"Oh!" Grammi now smiled brightly. "So it did pay to try to ask her to dance, didn't it?"

Tummi smiled. "Yeah, I guess. And she said I can bring a friend, because she has another friend named Larken living there," Tummi gave Gusto a meaningful look.

Gusto smiled. "Sorry, Tummer, don't look at me," he said. "I'll be too busy settling in my new studio. Remember," he added cautiously. "I'm moving out today."

"Oh, yeah," Tummi said, looking a little disappointed. "Well, does anyone else want to go?"

"I can't," Sunni told him. "I told Buddi I'd meet him after lunch."

"I can't come either," Cubbi said. "Chummi invited me to train with him."

Tummi lowered his eyes and sighed. "I guess I should've tried to find some more friends at the party."

Grammi touched his shoulder gently. "Don't worry, Tummi. I'm sure Ginger won't mind if you show up alone. It's you she invited after all, and I'm sure Larken won't mind either."

Tummi smiled at her. "Okay."

Zummi smiled at the younger bears. "So did you all have a good time last night?"

"Yeah, we were just exchanging stories when you came in," Gusto told him.

"Good," Zummi replied softly. "So where's…Gruffi?" his eyes widened a little in shock, since at that very moment, Gruffi arrived at the dining room, rubbing his temples and looking extremely exhausted.

Grammi stood up a little too suddenly. "I'll go get some more porridge," she announced, sounding again like she was straining herself to keep her temper.

Gruffi took the empty seat beside Zummi.

"Gruffi?" Zummi asked softly. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Not so loud," Gruffi told him. "I feel like my head's going to explode."

"Whoa," Gusto said, sounding almost shocked. "Gruffamundo, if I didn't know you better, I'd swear you were having… a hangover."

"A what?" Cubbi asked.

Gruffi glared at Gusto, who gave a nervous laugh. "I'll explain later," he told Cubbi.

Grammi returned then with more porridge, and dumped a ladleful into Gruffi's bowl with such force that it looked like she was trying to whip it. She then sat between Cubbi and Gusto, deliberately avoiding Gruffi's eyes. Before anyone could ask questions, Grammi returned her attention to Zummi. "So what did Councilor Mysti want?"

"What?" Gruffi asked, while Zummi turned a little red. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, right, _you_ don't remember," Grammi hissed at Gruffi.

Zummi glanced quickly from Gruffi to Grammi, now realizing Gusto was right about the hangover. "Councilor Mysti asked to talk to me in private last night," he reminded Gruffi, before Grammi goaded him further. "She… she mainly wanted to explain why I wasn't in trouble with the council. She _somehow_ got the idea I was worried they would punish me." He shot Sunni and Cubbi a significant look.

Sunni lowered her eyes in embarrassment, and Cubbi gave Zummi an overly sweet smile.

Zummi returned his gaze to Grammi. Once he realized she did not see the cubs' guilty expressions, he went on. "Next she asked me if we will be able to help the councilors. They need to analyze our situation, and they need our guidance."

Gruffi stared, a bit confused. "She needed to ask you that alone?"

"Well," Zummi thought this over. "She also wanted to ask me about my appointment with Ebony."

"That's strange," Gruffi managed to say, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. "Why is she that interested?"

Zummi shrugged. "She didn't know I survived Igthorn's attack until yesterday. I guess she wanted to be sure I was alright."

"Yeah, but she could've asked you that in front of us," Gruffi replied.

Grammi glared at him. "It isn't exactly fitting to ask something that delicate when another bear is wolfing down punch a few feet away."

"I think," Zummi continued, deliberately raising his voice a notch to warn his friends, "She did it because she doesn't know how much I told you about seeing Ebony. Maybe," he thought about Mysti's small house, and how she claimed she lived alone. "Maybe she's not as close to her family."

Gruffi was silent for a moment. "I guess that's a reasonable explanation."

The rest of the meal passed in relative silence. Once everyone was through eating, Gusto left to finish packing his knapsack, while Gruffi announced he was going to do more work, with Tummi following as a safety measure. Grammi disappeared into the kitchen to wash dishes. Sunni and Cubbi meant to leave next, but Zummi called them back.

"Hold it."

The cubs stiffened a little, returning to their seats.

Cubbi swallowed hard. "Uh… I guess you know why Councilor Mysti thought you'd be punished?"

"You guessed right," Zummi answered, trying to appear stern. Truth be told, he did not feel angry at them, but he knew they needed some reprimanding for their mischief.

"We're sorry," Sunni told Zummi sincerely. "We were just afraid of what the council would say, and…"

"I know," Zummi told them softly. "But you two can't just decide to take patters in your own maws… uh, matters in your own paws every time you suspect something bad is going to happen. Remember, at this point the council's opinion of us is very important."

"Did we get you in trouble with Councilor Mysti?" Sunni asked nervously.

Zummi's tiny smile betrayed his emotions. "No. Luckily, she was very understanding." He sighed. "You two know what you did was wrong, don't you?"

"Yes," Sunni and Cubbi answered almost simultaneously, and Cubbi added, "We won't do it again."

Zummi nodded. "All right. That's all I can ask for."

The cubs sighed with relief, and then left to clean their rooms before Grammi could order them to.

As Zummi left the table to help Grammi with the dishes, his thoughts returned to Mysti and what Gruffi said about her wanting to speak to him alone. Had she really done it to protect his privacy? It seemed probable, after the way she arranged for him to see Ebony in the first place. He thought of how she mentioned being motivated to return after receiving his message, while some bears opposed. Had she insisted on returning the day of the attack? Was it guilt over the consequences that motivated her to care so much about his health?

* * *

><p>"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Ursa screamed, pacing frantically around the infirmary. "I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT!"<p>

"It's true," Ebony replied, giving her a nervous smile. "The test confirmed it."

Ursa groaned, sitting on one of the beds and grasping her forehead. "I'll kill Gritty when I get home. I told him I didn't want to come here! I only agreed to get him off my back!"

"Ursa," Ebony told her cautiously. "You know sooner or later you would've found out."

"I would've been happy not knowing for a little longer!" Ursa moaned.

Ebony sighed and sat beside her. "Ursa, why are you so angry over this? Most women in your place would be happy."

"I'm not ready for this!" Ursa hollered.

Ebony smiled. "No one really feels ready for this at first," she explained. "But in six months, you'll feel it's all been worth it."

Ursa stared at the floor for a moment, her arms folded over her abdomen. She slowly looked up and saw Ebony giving her a warm smile. "I feel sick," Ursa said.

With that, she stood up in a haste and left the infirmary, Ebony following. The women hastened behind the building where Ursa crouched beside a large bush. Ebony held her hair back as Ursa threw up on the ground and spat.

"Better?" Ebony asked.

"Yeah," Ursa answered, her voice raspy.

Ebony nodded in approval. "Do you want to talk some more inside?"

"No," Ursa told her. "I just want to be alone now."

"All right," Ebony replied gently. "But if you have any questions, or just want to talk, don't hesitate to ask."

Ursa almost smiled in gratitude, but instantly resumed her usual tough manner. "Don't you have more patients to see soon?" She asked.

Ebony tried not to look too amused as she turned away and headed back to the infirmary.

Ursa stared at the bush, grudgingly deciding she should get water from Ursalia's fountain to wash the mess. As she stepped out to the central square, she saw another Gummi jog around the place. It was a pink female bear, who wore a short-sleeved maroon tunic and her hair was tied in a high pony tail, and a water canteen was tucked in her belt. As she came closer, Ursa recognized her as Councilor Rosetta.

"Hello," Rosetta greeted her as she caught up with Ursa, still jogging in place and panting slightly.

"Hello," Ursa replied. "I was just going to get some water."

"So was I," Rosetta answered between pants. She slowed down and finally stopped. "It's too hot to jog here at this hour," she added wearily. She motioned for Ursa to join her, which she reluctantly did.

As they reached the fountain, Ursa suddenly remembered she had nothing to carry the water with. She sighed and scooped up some water in her paw and sipped it, while Rosetta filled her canteen.

"Councilor?" Ursa asked. "When you're done, can I borrow that for a minute?" she pointed at the canteen.

"Sure," Rosetta answered after taking a swig. "And I'm off duty now, you can call me Rosie." She handed the canteen to Ursa.

"Thanks," Ursa told her. "I'll bring it right back."

Rosetta stared for a moment, looking confused as Ursa departed, somewhat in a hurry.

Ursa returned several minutes later and handed the empty canteen back to Rosetta. "Thanks."

"No problem," Rosetta answered, still looking confused. "Were you watering a plant or something?"

"Sort of," Ursa answered, avoiding Rosetta's eye. "I have to go now."

Rosetta smiled. "You're Ursa, right?"

"Right."

"I remember, we met when you were showing us the houses yesterday."

"Good memory," Ursa told her. She felt a little nauseous again from running back and forth, and decided to sit down by the fountain for a moment.

"Are you feeling alright?" Rosetta asked.

Ursa was about to lie and say "fine," but the nausea she felt grew stronger. "Not really," she finally said.

Rosetta re-filled her canteen and handed it to Ursa. "I think you need this more than I do."

Ursa took the canteen and drank slowly. The nausea passed. "Thanks. Again," She said wearily.

Rosetta sat beside her. "So what's wrong?" she asked. "Are you sick?"

"Kind of," Ursa told her. "My husband… infected me with something."

Rosetta looked Ursa up and down, then stared at her face for a moment. "I see," she answered, restraining a sly smile. "The kind of infection that lasts for six months, and gives you that special glow?"

Ursa flushed a little, staring at Rosetta straight in the eye. "How did you know?"

Rosetta smiled. "That's exactly how my sister looked when she first found out she was pregnant."

Ursa lowered her eyes, surprised to find herself embarrassed. It felt strange discussing personal matters with a councilor, yet this one was different from the others, only about her age. "I guess it's good I wasn't drinking last night," was all Ursa could say when she found her voice.

"Yeah," Rosetta told her. "So… congratulations." She held out her paw to her.

Ursa shook Rosetta's paw reluctantly, her face sulky.

Rosetta stood up. "Well, I guess I'll go wash up," she said. "It's been nice talking to you."

"Yeah. Same here," Ursa replied, more sincerely than she expected. It was a surprising relief to tell something personal to a friendly woman.

As Rosetta departed, Ursa lowered her head and hugged her knees. So many things were changing now, and so fast. All the time she had spent training Buddi suddenly didn't seem like enough experience needed to care for a baby. Her own baby.

She slowly got to her feet, bracing herself for the moment she'd have to face Gritty and Buddi.

* * *

><p>"Here you are," Ebony told Zummi as she handed him a brown bottle. "Add one teaspoon to a cup of hot water before you go to bed, and it'll help you sleep soundly for at least six or seven hours. It might cause a little nausea the first couple of nights, but your body will adjust to it soon."<p>

"Thanks," Zummi told her.

"I've given you enough to last you for a month," Ebony went on. "You should be well enough to manage without it by then. Maybe even sooner."

"I hope so," Zummi answered softly. "Last night was a little better for me, but I don't feel I'm back to normal yet."

"These things take time," Ebony reminded him gently. "I would be surprised if you felt normal again overnight."

"Yeah," Zummi agreed with a sigh. "So… do they still use sovereigns in New Gumbria?"

"Yes," Ebony replied. "Is that a problem for you?"

Zummi sighed again. "We had money saved from when the ancient Gummies left," he explained. "We rarely had a chance to use it, but we haven't saved much from when…"

"When the Glen was destroyed," Ebony finished sympathetically. "Well, don't worry about it now. I usually charge two sovereigns for this potion, that including your check-up session, but given what's happened I'm prepared to give you this one for free."

"Thanks, but I can't accept that," Zummi answered. "I should've told you about our financial situation yesterday, before you made the potion, but…"

"It's no trouble," Ebony told him. "I can afford this one."

"We have to find a solution for this," Zummi insisted. "If we don't, there's no way we'll be back on our feet."

Ebony nodded in understanding. "In New Gumbria, many bears had financial problems when they arrived from Berryborn and Great Bearton. The councilors passed a law that said if Gummies were in need of food, medical care or other necessities and couldn't pay for them, they'd be allowed to offer a trade or work off the debt to their best ability."

Zummi thought this over. "That sounds better than accepting your help for free," he replied. "But I'm not sure what I can offer you."

Ebony considered this. "You and your friends have plenty of experience in raising cubs," she pointed out. "Sometimes it's hard for Chummi and me to divide the time of watching over our son while I work and he trains. Our neighbors helped us in New Gumbria, but none of them came to Ursalia, and our friends that have come aren't experienced enough. I'd consider it a fair exchange if your family can help us watch Skippy now and then."

Zummi felt slightly cheered by this. "That sounds good," he agreed. "I know some of my friends have missed having babies around."

Ebony smiled. "Including you?"

"Yeah, I did too," Zummi confessed, giving her a weak smile.

"Good," Ebony told him. "I'll let you know when I need help."

Zummi nodded at her and left the infirmary, staring at the bottle in his paw for a moment. He knew Ebony was likely to understand the difficulty in the Glens' financial situation, but it was another relief not to have to worry about money at a time like this. All they had to do was agree to babysit a small cub a few times. At least Grammi would be happy about that.

As he crossed the central square, he heard someone call him.

"Zummi, do you have a moment?"

It was Councilor Mysti. Zummi tensed a little, unsure what to say to her. "Uh… good afternoon, Your Honor," he finally said as she reached his side.

Mysti smiled to return the greeting, and glanced at the bottle in Zummi's paws. "Is that from Ebony?" she asked.

"Yes," Zummi replied. "She says it will…" he stopped himself in time, remembering his decision not to get too personal with the chief councilor. He turned a little red. "Never mind. Did you want to talk to me about something?"

"Well, yes, actually," Mysti replied. "I've been thinking about what you told us yesterday about your human allies."

Zummi's heart pounded. He had a hunch where this was going.

Mysti gave him a meaningful look. "I think I should meet them."

Zummi tried not to look too nervous. "Yes, I thought you'd want to sooner or later," he agreed. "But… it would be hard to bring them here. Princess Calla is always watched, and the knights would notice if she's gone long…"

"I guessed that," Mysti told him. "It would make more sense if I travelled to Dunwyn to see them."

Zummi knew that was her intention in the first place. "Well, Sunni and Cubbi would love to have a chance to see their best friends," he swallowed hard. "I guess Gruffi or Grammi would be happy to take you there. That is, if you don't mind the kids coming along…"

"I don't mind," Mysti answered, staring at Zummi with some confusion and concern. "But aren't you planning on coming?"

Zummi trembled slightly. "I-I don't know, I still have a lot of work to do around here…"

Mysti sighed, looking a little disappointed. "Something more important than this? This is for the sake of promotimg peace between humans and Gummies."

Zummi felt his face turn a deeper shade of red. He should've known Mysti wouldn't let him off so easily. "I know, but…"

"And you mentioned one of the humans was one of your closest friends," Mysti reminded him.

"Yes, but…" Zummi tried to come up with a convincing argument. "I think Gruffi would prefer being in charge of a mission this important. And Grammi would want to stay close to the kids…"

"That doesn't explain why you can't come too," Mysti insisted. Her voice was quiet, but unrelenting.

Zummi took a deep breath. "I… I guess I'll talk to Gruffi and Grammi and see what they think…"

Mysti sighed again. "Maybe you'd prefer sleeping on it," she suggested. "I'll stop by your house tomorrow around ten. You could tell me what you've decided."

With that, she turned and headed back for her own home.

Zummi lowered his eyes shame. He had no idea how to explain to Councilor Mysti why he could not face going back to Dunwyn. Sympathetic as she was to his condition, he knew she did not understand the full nature of his anxiety. Promoting the alliance between humans and Gummies was too important a job to be ruined by his inability to stay focused. His only hope was if Grammi or Gruffi consented to go instead.


	12. Chapter 12: Dilemmas of Dames and Dunwyn

**Chapter 12: The Dilemmas of Dames and Dunwyn **

"Bloody thieves, cleaned us out of food, they did!"

"They stole half of our lumber!"

"My children are missing their toys, my lord!"

King Gregor was on edge. After Igthorn's defeat, he had hoped for a period of respite. Yet now, more and more frightened Dunwynians were showing up in his throne room, complaining of robberies. It was terrible enough to have to face the Dunwynians after they were all recovering from the shock of Igthorn's attack, but stories of everyday objects vanishing mysteriously was entirely unexpected, and the worst part was, no one had any leads about who was behind it.

"This is unacceptable!" he announced to the people for what felt like the hundredth time. "I assure you, my knights are doing all that's within their power to put an end to these petty thefts." He watched the complainers for a moment, unsurprised to see that none of them looked very reassured. When he spoke again, his voice was sympathetic. "I understand your frustration, but I must ask for your cooperation and patience on this matter. Until we find the criminals responsible, people able to assist those who have been hurt the worst by the robberies are requested to do so. And if anyone has seen anything unusual that might explain these crimes is encouraged to come forward."

Cavin and Calla watched the scene from the balcony above the throne room, feeling as edgy as Gregor himself.

"Wow, they really don't look happy, do they?" Cavin asked, as though this weren't obvious.

"My father is doing everything he can," Calla answered, and there was a faint hint of desperation in her voice. "But this situation is just too strange. No one even knows where to look for these robbers."

"I know," Cavin replied. "Sir Tuxford told me. I can't understand it either. These robberies are happening all over the kingdom, but it's mainly the poor people who are the victims. And what's stolen from them can't be valuable to the thieves, can it?"

"I don't see how," Calla said, shaking her head. "Father told me there was no way he could give back everyone's exact amount of gold after Igthorn's taxes, so he has tried giving everyone an equal share, and some people have lost money that way. Well, you expect some people to steal gold from each other when they're desperate, but to steal such ordinary objects..."

"And the robbers aren't even coming face-to-face with anyone," Cavin actually slapped his forehead in frustration. "They're just sneaking around, like phantoms."

"At least that means the thieves aren't violent," Calla reasoned. "It's not likely someone will get hurt, is it?" she added hopefully.

"I hope no one gets hurt," Cavin shook his head. "But in a way, this is worse. If this were a case of armed robbery, we'd have a chance of finding out who's behind it. Whoever's doing it is doing a clever job, even if it is a strange one."

"Well, that rules out ogres," Calla said. "But you don't think Igthorn could still be behind this, do you?"

"Anything's possible," Cavin said darkly. "But I can't see how this is helping him."

"Neither can I," Calla agreed.

Cavin sighed. "Listen, I have to go. Sir Tuxford will be looking for me soon to start patrolling the kingdom."

"Sure," Calla said quietly, her tone somewhat bitter. "You, at least, get to do something more useful than just sitting in your room."

Cavin watched her sympathetically. "You're not missing much," he told Calla. "We haven't been able to find anything so far."

"Still, action is better that no action, even if it doesn't work," Calla sighed in frustration. "I'm in half a mind to sneak out of here and search myself."

"Calla, you can't!" Cavin warned her. He chose his next words carefully. "They'll find out… remember the last time!"

"I know," Calla agreed grudgingly. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do it. But only so you won't get in trouble too."

Cavin knew she was being honest. He now realized he should've known Calla would not tell him about sneaking out if she had actually meant it. "Trust me, I would've liked to skip this patrol and stay with Gramps. It feels pointless to be away from him when I can't really help Sir Tuxford. If we had something to go on, it would be different."

"Or if we had the Gummies to help us," Calla said, her expression changing from resentment to sadness. "It's the first time we've had a crisis in Dunwyn since they left."

Cavin lowered his eyes. "Yeah, I've been thinking about that since the complaints started. Still, we can't depend on them forever, can we?"

"No," Calla agreed. "I guess not."

After exchanging a long, meaningful look, Cavin forced himself to break eye contact with Calla, and left to find Sir Tuxford.

* * *

><p>Ursa had no idea how she managed to get back to the Barbics' huts. Though the central square wasn't far, the combination of shock from Ebony's news and the strain of the summer's heat had caused her to move with such slowness she normally would not have tolerated, and only arrived home in the late afternoon.<p>

She paused at the edge of her own hut, distracted by the sound of children's laughter. She turned and saw, from a distance, that Buddi was merrily riding his tricycle, closely followed by Sunni. Ursa felt a twinge of annoyance, but was also a bit relieved. At least she had an excuse not to talk to Buddi immediately. She sighed and stepped into her hut, and practically collapsed when she reached the large pile of rama fleece and hay she used for her and Gritty's bed.

It wasn't long before the hut's flap opened and Gritty entered, looking somewhat annoyed. At the sight of him, Ursa's anger fired up again. Before she could muster the energy to sit up, though, Gritty sat beside her, shaking his head and placing one paw over his one eye.

"Hey," Gritty said wearily. "You missed an important visit today."

"What visit?" Ursa asked, though she didn't really care.

"Councilor Stratus's," Gritty replied, oblivious to Ursa's tone. "He's in charge of Gummi security, and he wants to know our defense methods. He doesn't seem to think we're up to the job of protecting the city."

Ursa just grunted.

Gritty raised an eyebrow at her, then cleared his throat. "So, how did it go at Ebony's?"

Ursa sat up a little too fast, and was once again hit with a wave of nausea. "How do I look like it went?" She asked bitterly.

Gritty's annoyed expression changed to concern in a heartbeat. "What? Is something wrong?"

"Oh yeah," Ursa snarled. "And it's your fault."

"My fault?!" Gritty asked, shocked.

Ursa clenched her fists as though she were imagining holding Gritty's neck in them. "You just couldn't restrain yourself that night, could you?"

"What night?" Gritty asked in confusion.

"The night Artie delivered Zummi's message!" Ursa practically spat out the words. "I told you it was too soon to celebrate, but you just couldn't keep your paws to yourself…"

"Wait a minute," Gritty asked nervously, finally catching on. "Are you trying to tell me that that night… that you're…?"

"YES, DAMN YOU!" Ursa screamed. "I'm pregnant!"

For a moment, an uncomfortable silence followed. Gritty could only stare at Ursa, unable to react until her words had sunk in. But the next minute, he smiled broadly. "This… this is wonderful…"

"Wonderful?!" Ursa asked furiously, getting to her feet. "How can you be so happy?!"

"How can you not be?" Gritty asked in disbelief. "Think about it: a baby of our own…"

"We've already got Buddi," Ursa reminded him. "How am I supposed to train him in my condition?"

"I can do it for a while," Gritty told her. "He's been the only Barbic cub for a long time, he'd love to have a brother or sister…"

"I don't want him to know yet!" Ursa commanded. "How will I train him when I have to look after the baby?" Ursa asked, ignoring Gritty's last remark. "And how am I supposed to lead us if we need to fight again?"

"You don't think I can help with that either?" Gritty asked indignantly.

Ursa glared at him. It was not as though she didn't value Gritty's skills, but her own pride did not allow her to be happy with standing aside, even temporarily. "You can't help with the nursing," She pointed out. "By the time the baby's old enough not to depend on me for everything, I'll be too out of shape."

"So? You'll get back into shape in no time. And I'll bet all the Barbics will help us look after junior when he gets here," Gritty reassured her.

"Or she," Ursa replied, her voice suddenly very quiet.

"Or she," Gritty smiled, feeling it was now safe to approach his wife. He put his paw on her shoulder in as close to a gentle manner he could manage. "C'mon, aren't you at least a little excited about this?"

Ursa didn't answer right away, but for a split second, she gave Gritty the faintest hint of a smile. Then she returned to glower at him in a heartbeat. "Don't even THINK of naming him Junior if it's a boy!" She said heatedly, before tearing herself away from him.

* * *

><p>Tummi paced slightly in his new garden, staring nervously at the flowers as he clutched one of his flower pots. Thanks to the single bottle of Doctor Dexter's elixir he had managed to save from the Glen, the garden had bloomed considerably fast, and the plants were holding well against the heat. Even the flowers not normally in season blossomed well enough. But which flower was the best one to bring to Ginger's home? He had no idea yet which one she would like.<p>

He was soon distracted by the sound of the house door opening. Gusto had just left his third trip there, carrying a knapsack with the last of his supplies. The young artist had started packing right after breakfast and had made his first trip to his new tree house just after lunch. It had not been easy saying goodbye, but at least they had avoided another horrible scene like the one they had three nights previously, when Gusto had first announced his intention to leave.

As soon as Gusto spotted Tummi watching him, he gave his friend a small smile, and walked over to him. "Hey, Tum," he said, his voice forced cheerful. "Getting ready to meet the girls?"

"Yeah," Tummi answered awkwardly. "Uh… I was just trying to decide which…" he wasn't sure why had trouble telling Gusto what he wanted.

Gusto caught on anyway. "Which flowers to bring them?" He smiled mischievously at the flower pot in Tummi's paws. "Well, let's see…" He scanned the garden with his eyes. "Ginger was the redhead, right? The one who wore the yellow dress last night?"

"Yeah, that's her," Tummi answered, a bit relieved. It was just like Gusto to notice another Gummi's color coordination right away.

Gusto nodded. "Go for the yellow roses."

Tummi nodded in agreement. The yellow roses did look big and fresh enough. After carefully transferring one particularly large one into his flower pot, he grabbed a watering can. "Thanks," he said, barely looking up at Gusto.

"No problem," Gusto smiled. "So where does she live?"

Tummi finished watering the rose and spilled some water on his own paws to clean them. He got to his feet and pointed to the direction of Ursalia's central square. "She's on the opposite side of the square," he answered. "In a small house."

"Okay, I can walk you there," Gusto offered. "It's on the way to my new studio."

For a moment, Tummi hesitated. If Ginger saw Gusto, she would think he's the friend he was bringing for Larken, and Tummi did not want to explain why Gusto wouldn't be staying with them for dinner. On the other hand, having some company on the way was a bit of a relief. "Okay," Tummi finally said.

* * *

><p>Tummi spotted Ginger standing outside the entrance to her house. The yellow dress she had on was much simpler than the one she had worn at the party, and it matched her shoes perfectly. Her long, curly hair hung loose down her back, and she was twirling a lock around her finger in what looked like a nervous manner, or so Tummi dreaded. When she spotted him and Gusto, however, she beamed and waved at them.<p>

Gusto clapped Tummi playfully on the back. "Go get her, Tummer," he whispered. With that, he turned and continued on his way to his new studio.

Tummi headed towards Ginger, feeling a bit more nervous now. As he expected, she did not look too pleased to see Gusto leave, when she obviously expected him to stay for dinner as well. Still, Tummi tried not to let his discomfort show as he smiled at Ginger when he finally reached her. "Hi," he said.

Ginger smiled back. "Hi," she said softly. "Who was the other Gummi?"

"That was Gusto," Tummi answered awkwardly. "He's my friend. But he can't stay, he says he's sorry… It's a long story."

"Oh, I see," Ginger replied softly.

"I hope your friend won't be too disappointed," Tummi said sympathetically.

"She won't be," Ginger sighed. But a moment later, her face brightened again. "That's a pretty flower."

Tummi flushed slightly, realizing he had forgotten to give his house warming present. "Uh… yeah, it's for your new home." He smiled as he gave it to her.

Ginger took the plant motioned to Tummi to follow her. "Come on in."

They entered into what Tummi realized was a two story house, which clearly looked as though it had only recently became occupied. There were no pictures on the walls, and there were several unopened trunks sitting in the combined living and dining room, which was much smaller than the one in the Glens' new house, but quite large for a home for only two young girls. The dining room table was neatly set with a simple white tablecloth, and the dishes (laid for four Gummies) were in pearl-blue, and they matched a small vase at the center of the table, which contained several dandelions.

Ginger placed the flower pot with Tummi's rose on the window sill and waved her arm around in a comically dramatic manner. "Welcome to our happy home," she said, half-laughing.

Tummi smiled. "The table looks great."

Ginger laughed. "Yeah, we hope the rest of the place will too, eventually."

Tummi tried to think of a reply to this, but his string of thought was interrupted when someone else had just arrived from the kitchen, carrying a tray of chicken. It took Tummi a moment to realize it was Larken, since she wasn't easily recognizable after the previous night. Instead of the dress that blended too well with the night sky, she wore a pink overall dress on a red shirt, and a green belt was tied around her thin waste. The only similarity in her appearance to the one at the party was that her thick, long blue hair still hid most of her face.

"Hi," Tummi smiled at her, pleased he managed not to be shy anymore.

The same could not be said for Larken. When she returned the greeting, it was in a barely audible voice. "Hi." Her paws shook slightly from the weight of the chicken.

"Here, I'll take that," Ginger offered, grabbing the chicken from Larken before she could drop it.

"Thanks," Larken whispered.

Ginger placed the chicken on the table. "C'mon, Larken, don't be so shy," she smiled at her friend, though her voice was a bit pushy. "Don't you remember Tummi from last night's party?"

"Yeah, kind of," Larken replied meekly.

"I remember you," Tummi told Larken. "But you left kind of early, didn't you?"

"Yes, well…" Larken's voice was still barely more than a whisper. "I was… I was a little tired from the trip here…" She cleared her throat, forcing her voice to a casual tone. "So… Ginger said you might bring another friend?"

Tummi's face fell slightly. "No, none of my friends could make it." He hoped Larken wouldn't ask questions. He didn't want to go into details about Gusto.

"Oh, okay," Larken replied. She did not seem too disappointed. If anything, she seemed relieved.

Ginger frowned slightly. "You know, you can still join us for dinner."

"No, that's all right," Larken said. "I still have a lot of unpacking to do, and… I don't want to get in your way."

"You won't," Tummi told her, and was pleased to see Ginger giving him an approving smile. It wasn't only that he didn't want Larken to feel left out. Though he was hoping to get to know Ginger better, he still felt a bit nervous about being alone with her.

But Larken shook her head, forcing herself to smile politely. "It's okay, I'm not really hungry right now." As she said this, her hair slid away from her face slightly, revealing a thin scar that ran from her forehead to her right cheek. She quickly pushed her hair back to hide it. "Maybe another time… Maybe when our house is in better shape, okay?" her voice shook slightly.

"Okay," Tummi mumbled, now also feeling a bit awkward. Larken's scar didn't look too bad to him, but something about the way she hid it made Tummi feel a bit sorry for her.

Ginger seemed to sense his feelings, since she no longer tried to persuade Larken to join them. She merely nodded at her friend in understanding, and the latter left the dining room without another word.

Ginger sat down at the table, and signaled for Tummi to join her, which he promptly did. "Sorry about that," Ginger sighed. "Larken's kind of shy. Especially with strangers."

"Yeah, I noticed," Tummi answered gently.

"I guess there's a lot more food for us," Ginger said apologetically.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Tummi told her, and Ginger laughed in spite of herself. Glad for the icebreaker, Tummi went on. "So… how long have you two been friends?"

"Almost twelve years," Ginger answered, as she started serving him chicken. "About two years after she moved to New Gumbria." Her expression became slightly grim. "She was one of Berryborn's survivors, you see… many of them had trouble fitting in. And Larken…" She bit her lip, feeling she may have said too much. "Well, never mind. This probably isn't the time for this." She quickly piled a chicken leg and breast on her plate.

Tummi was on the verge of asking what Ginger meant by "Berryborn's survivors," but decided against it. It was clear Ginger didn't want to discuss it. "So how come it's just the two of you living here?" he asked instead, starting on a chicken thigh.

Ginger stared at him, slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well…" Tummi hoped he wasn't getting too personal. "Didn't you have a warren in New Gumbria?"

"Oh, you mean like you had in Gummi Glen?" Ginger asked. "No, most New Gumbrians only live with their immediate family or with close friends when they're old enough to leave their parents. Some even prefer to live alone."

Tummi was slightly taken aback. He could not imagine leaving the rest of the Glens, even if he did feel he could fend for himself.

Ginger finished her chicken leg and smiled sympathetically. "I guess you're used to Gummies living as one big happy family," she said.

"Well, yeah," Tummi said. "Gummi Glen used to have hundreds of bears living there, and when so few of us were left… Well, I guess that's as good as an immediate family, right?"

"I guess so," Ginger said softly. "I wouldn't really know."

"But did you like living in New Gumbria?" Tummi asked.

"Pretty much," Ginger answered, glad for the change of subject. "It is a beautiful kingdom, and Larken and I ran a good business there. She'd make clothes, and I'd sell them. But the past few years we've had some…" she hesitated. "Some personal problems. When we heard there was going to be a voyage to Ursalia, we thought it would be a good opportunity. Give ourselves a fresh start."

Here, at last, Tummi felt he had something encouraging to say. "Well, my friends and I will be happy to help you with that. We've been waiting to have more Gummi bears around for years."

Ginger smiled at him, but a moment later a knock on the front door interrupted the conversation. "Excuse me," Ginger got to her feet, and Tummi followed her.

Once the two of them reached the entrance hall, Ginger opened the door, and a short, portly young Gummi with light gray fur and red and black garments that looked like a messenger's uniform stood on the other side.

"Good evening, are you Ginger?" the messenger asked.

"Yes," Ginger replied politely, though her face fell slightly.

The messenger handed her a neat package wrapped in purple paper and tied with a pink ribbon. "This is for you."

"Of course it is," Ginger muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She looked up at the messenger, suddenly remembering her manners. "Sorry, I mean, thank you."

The messenger tilted his hat in respect, and continued on his way.

Ginger shut the door, and placed the package on the floor. "C'mon, let's get back to the table," she told Tummi.

"Don't you want to open that?" Tummi asked.

"Later," Ginger said. "I don't want the food to get cold."

Tummi couldn't argue with that. He smiled sweetly at her. "Glad to see you know the value of a hot meal."

* * *

><p>Zummi finished setting the dining room table, silently waiting for Gruffi and Grammi to join him. For the first time since leaving the Glen, he felt relieved not to have the younger bears around the house. Their presence would've made it harder to discuss Councilor Mysti's request.<p>

Grammi arrived soon after, carrying a large bowl of stew, and looking somewhat bad-tempered. "The sooner Tummi learns to grow spices in his garden, the better," she muttered to herself. "Imagine having to ask Grubbi for some of his after the stunt he pulled last night…" She stopped when she caught Zummi watching her. She sighed heavily and placed the bowl on the table. "I wouldn't advise you to eat too much of this, who knows what Grubbi's spices can do."

"I'll risk it," Zummi answered, as Grammi poured some stew into his bowl. It actually smelled better than the stew Zummi remembered from Gummi Glen, but he knew better than to tell Grammi this. Instead he braced himself for what he wanted to ask, when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"This house is a never-ending project!" Gruffi announced dramatically as he entered the room, and practically collapsed on the seat beside Zummi. "I'll bet you anything I'll hear creaking and hammering sounds in my sleep for the rest of my life."

"Well, it won't last that much longer," Zummi tried to sound reassuring. Gruffi and Grammi's bad moods were already making him feel a bit unnerved. "Listen, now that you're both here…"

"It must be harder to work with a hangover," Grammi grumbled, letting Gruffi hear her accidently-on-purpose. She poured stew into Gruffi's bowl with almost equal fury as she had done with his porridge that morning.

Gruffi glared at her, and Zummi, too, felt a bit annoyed, though he decided to ignore this. "Well, never mind that now. I have to…"

"At least the hangover's a temporary problem," Gruffi shot at Grammi. "Not like your cooking."

Zummi sighed in frustration as Grammi refilled the ladle and held it over Gruffi's lap in a threatening manner. "Keep that up, and my stew will really give you a problem!" she snarled.

"Do you have to do this now?" Zummi asked in annoyance. Under different circumstances, he would've tried to find out what Gruffi and Grammi's fury at each other was all about, but at that moment he felt too stressed out to care.

Grammi walked away from Gruffi and poured the stew into her own bowl instead, taking the seat on Zummi's other side.

Grateful for this moment of respite, Zummi cleared his throat. "Look, this is really…"

"It's not as if I wanted last night to turn out the way it did!" Gruffi snapped at Grammi, ignoring Zummi.

Grammi snorted. "You sure were quick to jump to conclusions about how the night turned out."

"Like you couldn't have made the same mistake!" Gruffi shot back. "It didn't exactly take you long to guess what I was thinking!"

Zummi tried to speak up again, but Grammi cut him off. "At least I would've had enough sense not to drink too much in the first place!" She said shrilly.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Zummi finally raised his voice, standing up so suddenly that he nearly knocked his chair over.

His friends stared at him, completely caught off guard. Zummi glared at them for a moment, but felt too frustrated to speak any more. He left the table and headed for the sofas by the window, staggering for a moment before he sat down. His sudden rise from the table had caused him to feel a bit dizzy again. He lowered his head and held it in his paws, waiting for the feeling to pass.

Gruffi and Grammi briefly exchanged uncomfortable looks, then hurried after Zummi. They both sat on the sofa opposite him, also waiting for his recovery.

Once Zummi felt strong enough, he raised his head and resumed glaring at Gruffi and Grammi. It was all he could do to keep himself from feeling embarrassed.

Grammi cleared her throat awkwardly. "Uh… Zummi, listen… we're really sorry."

"Yeah," Gruffi agreed in the same tone. "We were kind of acting like…"

"Cubs," Zummi finished for him.

"That too," Gruffi agreed grudgingly. "Anyway, we're listening now. What did you want to tell us?"

Zummi sighed wearily, but his expression softened. "I met Councilor Mysti again today."

"And?" Grammi asked, slightly worried by Zummi's tone.

Zummi swallowed. "She wants to go to Dunwyn. She wants to meet our friends."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Grammi asked. "It means she's seriously considering peace as a possibility."

"Yeah, it's great," Zummi continued. "But she… she sort of asked me to go with her."

"Well, she can't go by herself," Gruffi reasoned. "She doesn't know Dunwyn."

"I know," Zummi replied, his voice trembling slightly. "It's just… I'm not sure I can… She'd probably want to see the Glen too…"

"Oh, I see," Grammi said softly. She rose from her seat and approached Zummi, gently touching his shoulder. "You don't feel ready to go back, is that it?"

"Well, you know how I've been lately," Zummi felt his face flush. "I couldn't help it… I'm just worried that if I go there with her…"

"Well, you don't have to," Gruffi offered. "Councilor Mysti needs someone to guide her to Dunwyn, it doesn't have to be you."

"I suggested one of you could do it," Zummi confessed. "But she seemed kind of…disappointed. I promised her I'd do what I can to help her, and it was like I was letting her down."

"Why?" Gruffi asked. "Helping the Great Gummies is all our responsibility. That doesn't mean you have to make a special effort."

"He's right," Grammi told Zummi. "I'm sure Councilor Mysti doesn't expect you to take on more responsibility than the rest of us. She probably only wanted you to go because she got to know you a little and she's comfortable with you."

Zummi looked at her skeptically. "She practically insisted I'd go. I don't think her feeling comfortable is a strong enough reason."

"Well, she is a little strange that way," Gruffi said. "She made a special effort to find you a doctor, and you weren't exactly in immediate danger."

"I think she did that out of guilt," Zummi told them. "She insisted on coming back when I sent my message, while other Gummies opposed. And then there was the attack…" he fell silent, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

Grammi gave him an understanding smile. "She's not the only one going to extremes out of guilt, is she?" she asked. "You're also trying to get rid of some. That's why you think she's expecting it from you."

"You think it's all in my head?" Zummi asked, a little annoyed. "You weren't there, she really seemed disappointed."

"Did you tell her why you don't feel ready for this?" Gruffi asked.

"No," Zummi replied. "She knows I've had some problems, but I didn't tell her exactly how I've been feeling lately."

"She'll understand if you tell her," Grammi offered gently.

Zummi lowered his head again. He wasn't sure why the prospect of telling Mysti why he couldn't help her seemed so hard. He had managed to face the entire council under worse conditions, after all. But there was something about Mysti that made him so reluctant to let her down for some reason.

"Zummi," Gruffi watched him carefully. "Are you really sure you don't want to go?"

"It's not that I don't want to, it's just…"

"You're scared," Gruffi finished. "But maybe that's why you should go. Maybe facing this thing is what's best for you right now."

Zummi looked up nervously. He had not expected this argument, but suddenly realized he was not too shocked by it. In the back of his mind, he realized, he had been wondering the same thing. He did need to move on, but going back to Dunwyn and facing the Glen seemed too big a step. "I don't know if I can…"

Grammi resumed her seat opposite Zummi. "Look, Zummi, I don't get a chance to say this very often, but Gruffi's right. The only real way to get rid of fear is to face it."

"I know," Zummi whispered.

"And you did promise Cavin you'd visit Gawain when you can," Grammi reminded him.

Zummi felt another pang of guilt, but it was quite different from the ones he had been feeling for days. "Yeah, that's true," he whispered. "Well, maybe if we all go…"

"No," Gruffi shook his head. "If too many of us go, it'll be too hard to hide from the humans. Councilor Mysti isn't experienced enough in hiding."

Zummi thought this over. "I think Sunni and Cubbi will want to go," he said. "They'd want to see Cavin and Calla. But if I…" he felt his face redden again. "If I do lose control, maybe we should have another adult there?"

"Some of us need to stay here and finish working on the house," Gruffi replied. "I need Tummi to help me here, and Gusto if he can."

"And I've got to stay and help them too," Grammi replied.

Zummi stared at them, now feeling desperate. He had expected them to want to come. But then, he also knew how hard it was for them to live in an unfinished house. "I don't suppose the Barbics will agree to help?"

"Not with this," Gruffi shook his head. "You know what they're like about humans. And they don't know Dunwyn well enough, and neither does Sir Thornberry. But listen," he continued, before Zummi could have time to get anxious again, "Sunni and Cubbi understand what's going on with you now. They can handle it."

"Zummi," Grammi said, "I think the best way is if you talk to Councilor Mysti. If she knows what to expect from you if the worst happens, she'll be able to help you, and keep an eye on Sunni and Cubbi."

Zummi thought this over. Asking the chief councilor to help him protect two cubs who weren't hers from his anxiety seemed like a lot. But then… he did feel, now, that he should go back to Dunwyn, not only for Mysti or Gawain's sake, but for himself as well. And he definitely could not leave Sunni and Cubbi behind. Also, Mysti wanted to meet the bears' human friends. She might not want to see the Glen at all.

Zummi's thoughts were soon interrupted by a door opening. He, Gruffi and Grammi rose from their seats and headed for the entrance hall to find that Tummi, Sunni and Cubbi had returned home.

"Hi," Tummi said. Out of the three, he alone appeared mildly cheerful.

Grammi smiled at the younger bears. "How was your evening?"

"Boring," Cubbi sulked. "Chummi only trained me for about an hour, and then he seemed to think we'd have more fun playing with his baby. And Ebony was home, it's not like there was no one to watch the kid."

"Oh, well, that's understandable," Grammi told him. "Skippy's his son, after all. He can't leave all the responsibility to Ebony."

"I guess," Cubbi groaned.

Grammi now turned to Tummi. "So how was dinner with the girls?" She asked, pretending not to see Cubbi wince.

"Pretty good," Tummi answered. "Larken didn't stay with us, though. But it was fun talking to Ginger." He blushed slightly. "Can we invite them over here for dinner sometime?"

"To try Grammi's cooking?" Gruffi asked. "I thought you like these girls."

Grammi smacked the back of Gruffi's head, but otherwise ignored him. "Of course we can," she smiled at Tummi. "But we'll have to wait until the house is ready."

Discussing the house reminded Zummi of what he had been discussing with Gruffi and Grammi, but could not yet manage to bring up the matter. He instead turned his attention to Sunni, who was looking around the house rather crestfallenly. "Sunni? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Sunni answered, her tone miserable.

"How's Buddi?" Grammi asked.

"Fine," Sunni replied in the same tone. "Gusto finished his move, right?" She headed for the stairs and sat down, Cubbi following.

The adults exchanged uncomfortable looks. Tummi moved closer to them and whispered, "We had to pass by Gusto's new studio on the way home, but he was too busy to talk to us. And…" he lowered his voice a notch, "a girl was helping him."

"Oh," Grammi sighed, watching Sunni with pity.

Zummi hesitated for a moment, and then approached the kids. "Sunni? Cubbi? Can I talk to you?" he asked. His voice was soft, but he felt more determined now. The cubs each gave him a tiny nod, and followed him to the living room. Zummi gave Gruffi and Grammi a reassuring look as he passed by them, to which they replied with a small smile.

Zummi sat on the same sofa as before, and Sunni and Cubbi sat opposite him, neither of them looking up. Zummi stared at them compassionately. "I know moving here has been rough on you," he said gently. "It's rough on all of us. And I know I haven't been of much help before…"

Sunni finally looked up. "We know you had a harder time than us," she replied softly.

"Yeah," Cubbi agreed, also looking up. "We're not blaming you for how you've been."

Zummi gave them a fleeting, sad smile. "I forget how much the two of you have grown up sometimes," he confessed. He cleared his throat, trying to sound more cheerful. "Anyway, that's not why I called you here. There's something I wanted to ask you, and… I hope it'll make you happy."

"What?" Sunni asked, and there was faint glint of excitement in her eyes.

"Well," Zummi braced himself. "Councilor Mysti asked me to take her to Dunwyn, to meet our friends there. We can't all go, since she's not experienced in hiding from humans and security's tight there now, but I'd still like it if you two can come with us. I asked Councilor Mysti, and she doesn't mind either."

Sunni and Cubbi's faces brightened up in a heartbeat. "We're going to Dunwyn?" Sunni asked, standing up and clutching her hands together.

"Are you serious?" Cubbi asked.

"Yes," Zummi told them, now giving them a broader smile.

The cubs squealed with delight as they ran to hug him.

Zummi laughed slightly as he hugged them back, feeling stronger. If he were lucky, perhaps the cubs' joy over seeing their best friends would be enough to give him the strength he needed for the task ahead of him.


	13. Chapter 13: Agendas

**Chapter 13: Agendas**

It was another rough night for Zummi. He lay awake for hours, fretting about the trip to Dunwyn, before realizing he had forgotten to take the potion Ebony had given him. Now that he had remembered, he decided it was better for him not to drink it that night. He did not want to be drowsy when he met Mysti the following morning.

He put on his glasses and lit his bedside candle, then headed for the still unpacked knapsack that rested by the wall. Perhaps he could calm his nerves by unpacking. He pulled out a few ink wells, a pheasant quill, a few Gummi figurines, a snow globe, and a framed picture. He stared at the picture longingly for a moment. It featured two female Gummi bears. One was a woman in her thirties with peach fur, long peach hair, and a plump, smiling face. The other figure was of a small cub, whose hair and smile were identical to her mother's, but the fur on her face was mauve, just like Zummi's.

Zummi sighed sadly before setting the picture on his bedside cabinet, carefully moving the candle away. He now wished he had a desk in his new room. Sooner or later he would have to return to his normal work.

With this thought still on his mind, he returned to his knapsack, finally pulling out the last items, including the book Cavin had questioned him about the day the Gummies had left the Glen. He instantly remembered what Ebony had told him about practicing a relaxing hobby. He hadn't written anything in his book for years, not since he had begun his study of the Great Book of Gummi. But now the memories of Gummi Glen seemed more vivid in his mind than ever, and the urge to put them down in ink was insuppressible. Zummi grabbed his quill and one of the ink bottles and began to write.

* * *

><p>Sunni and Cubbi could barely sit still during breakfast the following morning. Both of them were buzzing with excitement over their visit to Dunwyn, and couldn't stop discussing when they'll leave, how long they'll stay there, or what the chief councilor will think of Cavin and Calla.<p>

"I'll bet Calla will be really excited to meet Councilor Mysti!" Sunni told Grammi eagerly as the two of them prepared gummiberry juice in the kitchen after breakfast. "You know, she didn't get a chance to meet the Gummadoon Gummies or the Barbics, and now an important Gummi is coming to Dunwyn to meet her!"

"Yes, Dear," Grammi smiled. "This is an important opportunity for all of us. Watch out, the three-step stir is next."

With some difficulty Sunni restrained herself and clutched Grammi's ladle, carefully stirring the juice. "Slow to the right, slow to the left…" next, she pulled out the ladle and hit it against the pot, instinctively backing away as she did so. There was no need to, however. The juice remained in place, only letting out a few bubbles. Sunni sighed with relief. "I'm done."

Grammi's smile broadened. "Good job. Pretty soon you'll be able to do this all by yourself."

Sunni beamed at her, but the talk was soon interrupted when Cubbi entered the kitchen, clutching his wooden sword. "Grammi, is Councilor Mysti here yet?" he asked.

"Not yet," Grammi told him.

"Did Zummi tell you when we're leaving?" Cubbi asked.

Grammi sighed in slight irritation. Cubbi has asked her this question several times since he woke up, which was much earlier than usual for him. "Cubbi, Dear," Grammi began, forcing her voice to patience, "Zummi can't know when Councilor Mysti wants to leave until he talks to her, and he can't talk to her before she gets here."

Cubbi groaned. "This is the longest morning of my life!"

Grammi gave a small chuckle. "Why don't you two go play outside?" She suggested. "It'll keep you calm until Zummi talks to Councilor Mysti."

The cubs nodded in agreement and left the kitchen.

Once they were gone, Grammi put out the fire under the pot containing the fresh-made juice, and headed upstairs. Knowing how nervous Zummi was about talking to the chief councilor, Grammi thought it best to see how he was handling himself. She soon reached the door to Zummi's room and knocked.

"Come in," came Zummi's voice.

Grammi opened the door, pausing awkwardly for a moment. She still wasn't used to any of the new rooms in the house, and it was most unusual to find Zummi sitting on a bed while working. And it wasn't his usual work, either. He was writing in a book Grammi only vaguely remembered, and from the looks of his paws, Zummi had been writing for at least an hour. He probably began right after breakfast. A moment later, Grammi noticed most of Zummi's personal belongings were scattered around the room, as he had no proper place to put them yet.

Zummi looked up from his work and gave Grammi a weak smile. "I thought it was time to finish unpacking."

Grammi did not smile back, but entered the room looking concerned. "This means you didn't sleep properly again, did you?"

Zummi's smile faded rapidly. He looked at his book again to make sure the ink on the page was dry before closing it. "Not really," he sighed. "I forgot to…"

"Where's your potion?" Grammi asked.

Zummi stood up and opened the bedside cabinet, pulling out the bottle Ebony had given him.

Grammi grabbed the bottle from Zummi and headed for his now empty knapsack by the wall. "Someone's got to make sure you pack this for your trip," she said as she put the bottle in.

Zummi suppressed a groan at Grammi's mothering. "Thanks," he said. "I'll finish packing myself."

"You know Councilor Mysti will be here any minute," Grammi told him. "You'd better wash that ink off your…" her voice trailed off for a moment as her eyes fell on the picture on Zummi's bedside cabinet. She approached it cautiously and stared.

Zummi now headed for his knapsack and stuffed his book, quill and ink well inside, determined not to look at Grammi. "I don't know how many supplies to pack…"

Grammi turned back to Zummi, giving him a sad smile. "I almost forgot you had that picture of them."

Zummi shifted uncomfortably, absent-mindedly grabbing the picture and stuffing it in his knapsack as he turned to stare out the window.

Sunni and Cubbi seemed to be playing tag happily, until they both stopped and headed for the garden as a Gummi bear in a deep blue dress and a tall, pointed hat headed towards the house's front door.

"She's here," Zummi said nervously. "I'd better go down."

Grammi quickly composed herself. "Oh, right," she said. "I've got to check on the juice."

Zummi nodded and left the room, heading for the main staircase as Grammi descended the one leading to the kitchen.

Once Zummi reached the door, he took a deep breath, and opened it before Mysti had a chance to knock.

Mysti smiled and held out her paw. "Good morning."

Zummi shook her paw nervously. "Good morning, Your Honor," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "Please, come in."

Mysti followed him inside, but stopped a moment later to stare at her paw where Zummi had just let go of it. "Have you been writing this morning?" she asked.

Zummi paused. "How did you know?"

Mysti gave him another smile and held up her paw to show it to him. It was stained with ink.

Zummi immediately glanced at his own paw to discover the same findings. "Oh!" he cried, feeling his face burn. "I…I'm really sorry about that…I forgot…"

"It's all right," Mysti replied softly. She reached out and grabbed Zummi's paw in her own ink-stained one, while preforming a circular motion with her other paw.

Zummi watched as his and Mysti's medallions emitted a soft glow, and the ink stains vanished. Zummi forced a small laugh. "That's a good spell to have under your sleeve."

"True," Mysti answered. "I never used to bother with cleaning spells until I started writing books."

Zummi's embarrassment nearly faded, until he remembered Mysti was still holding his paw. He pulled away as politely as he could. "So… would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," Mysti replied, no longer smiling. "I think we'd better talk."

Zummi sighed. "All right."

He led Mysti to the living room and they both sat on the sofa. After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Mysti broke the ice. "Have you thought over our talk from yesterday?"

"Yes," Zummi told her. "I…I'm sorry about how it turned out. I know it must've looked like I was going back on my promise to help you."

Mysti gave him an understanding nod, but her expression was somber. "I realize this is a sudden, big step," she said. "But I'm sure you understand how important it is for us to meet the humans. I can't keep all New Gumbrians in the dark about our plans indefinitely."

"I know," Zummi told her. "Nothing's more important than promoting peace with the humans right now," he swallowed hard. "But if we go to Dunwyn, does it mean you will also want to see Gummi Glen?"

Mysti stared at him for a moment. "That's what was worrying you, wasn't it?"

Zummi wasn't sure how much he wanted to tell her, but she already seemed to guess the general idea. "Well, yes. I can't lie to you."

Mysti sighed. "I'll admit, I did plan on eventually seeing the Glen. But I can see this is a problem for you."

Zummi sighed now too. "None of my adult friends can come, but I can't leave Sunni and Cubbi behind. I'm just worried about what will happen when we get there. I don't think I'm the best one to hold their paws when they have to see our old home destroyed again. I'm still struggling with it myself." He felt his face flush again and just barely managed to keep his voice steady.

Mysti considered him for a moment. "Seeing the humans is not a problem for you, is it?"

"No," Zummi answered meekly.

Mysti nodded. "Well, why don't we start with meeting with them? Then we'll see about checking on the Glen. You might feel better about it then."

Zummi wasn't sure how to reply to this. He knew Mysti understood he was in pain from losing the Glen, though she had not seen his anxiety at its worst. But he thought of what Gruffi and Grammi had said the previous evening about facing his fear, and of all the Gummies whose fate depended on achieving peace with the humans. "All right," Zummi finally said.

Mysti gave him a small smile. "How long will it take for you and the cubs to be ready?"

Zummi forced a smile as well. "Sunni and Cubbi were ready about three hours ago. I just need a few more minutes."

Mysti smiled more brightly as she stood up. "I'll meet you outside in fifteen minutes, then."

Zummi was a little taken aback. "You're ready to leave already?"

"Almost," Mysti replied, heading for the front door. "I had a hunch you'd decide to come."

Zummi blushed again, unsure what to make of this. He was brought back to Earth, however, at the sound of the front door closing behind Mysti. He quickly dashed upstairs to finish packing.

* * *

><p>By the time Zummi was ready to meet Councilor Mysti by the front door, he was sure he'd have no trouble staying awake while driving the quickcar to Dunwyn, in spite of the few hours of sleep he had managed to catch the previous night. If his own excitement wouldn't keep him awake, Sunni and Cubbi's chattering would.<p>

"I wonder if Dunwyn has changed much since we were there the last time?" Sunni asked nervously. "I hope they haven't sealed the tunnels!"

"This is our chance to show Councilor Mysti how we've defended the castle!" Cubbi beamed excitedly, waving his wooded dagger at nothing in particular.

"Now, Cubbi, put that away," Zummi rested his paw on Cubbi's shoulder. "We're not going to Dunwyn to fight ogres."

"But someone's got to be ready to protect you in case we run into trouble!" Cubbi protested.

Zummi smiled. "I know, but the idea of just the four of us going is to make sure we're not caught. This is time for you to work on your stealth skills, not sword fighting."

Cubbi smiled. "I can do both."

Zummi was spared the necessity of replying when Councilor Mysti had returned. To Zummi's surprise, she was not carrying a large knapsack. Instead, she had brought a food basket and a small blue pouch was tied to her belt.

At the sight of her, Sunni and Cubbi settled down and stood up straight. "Good morning, Your Honor," Sunni said politely.

Mysti smiled kindly at the cubs. "Good morning," she said. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Zummi told her, though he was unable to keep the doubt out of his voice. "I just…" He fiddled with his pockets for a moment. "I hope I bought enough spells to help us if we run into trouble…" he stopped himself quickly, suddenly remembering he was traveling with the Chief Councilor, whose magical skills were obviously superior to his. To cover up for the awkward moment, Zummi pulled out a flask of juice from his left pocket. "Oh, before I forget, Grammi made this for you," he handed the bottle to Mysti.

Mysti took the bottle and examined it for a moment. "Is this gummiberry juice?" she asked, looking surprised and, for some reason, a bit worried.

"Yes," Zummi answered, slightly bemused by her reaction. "Is something wrong?"

Mysti faced him again, still looking uneasy. "Do all of you know how to manage the bouncing?"

"Sure, that was our best weapon against the ogres," Zummi told her. "Why…?" A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Have you…have you ever had the juice before?"

Mysti looked rather uncomfortable. "No," she answered. "In New Gumbria, gummiberry bushes are too scarce. The juice is reserved for the knights only."

"Oh," Zummi replied awkwardly.

"Don't worry, Your Honor," Cubbi piped up. "It's not hard to learn to control the bouncing."

When Mysti still looked doubtful, Zummi composed himself. "Well, if we're lucky, you won't need the juice. Last time we saw Cavin and Calla, they said the knights had tightened security in Dunwyn."

Mysti shot the flask in her paw another glance. "Well, whatever happens is worth the risk," she said, rapidly regaining her confidence as she climbed into the quickcar.

Zummi and the cubs followed instantly, but before Zummi could pull the lever, he thought he saw someone watching them from behind a nearby tree. It would have been easy to miss this bear, except for the reflection of the sunlight on his monocle.

Zummi tensed slightly. "Is that councilor Stratus?" he asked.

Mysti followed his gaze. "Yes," she replied. "He's probably checking on your house's security."

"Should I say something to him?" Zummi asked uneasily. He wasn't sure why, but whenever Councilor Stratus was near Zummi had the feeling he was in trouble.

"No," Mysti replied. "He'll have plenty to say to me when we come back, I'm sure."

Zummi sighed with slight relief. He pulled the lever, sending the quickcar speeding towards Dunwyn.

* * *

><p>The sun shone brightly above Lady Bane's castle, casting a warm glow over the rose bushes in her garden, which were being tended to by an old troggle. Igthorn paced the garden, nervously glancing at the table he had made Toadie set there earlier. It was covered with a tablecloth of white lace, and on top of it rested two silver goblets, a bottle of wine, and dishes from the witch's finest china set. As Lady Bane had been obsessing over her potion and furious over the slow progress made with the mole machine, Igthorn had hoped the romantic atmosphere would appease her.<p>

"TOADWART!" The Duke bellowed.

Toadie rushed into the garden, nearly collapsing under the weight of the dish he was carrying. It was a silver platter on which rested a roasted pig, decorated with radish rosettes. The small ogre placed the dish gingerly on the table, panting slightly.

"Lunch ready, most tasteful one," he said sycophantically.

"That pork had better be fresh, Toadwart, or I'll be feeding you to the troggles!" Igthorn threatened him.

Toadie glared at the pig on the table. "Why does Dukey want to serve nasty piggy when Witch Lady has perfectly good slugs and fungus in her garden?" He asked. "Stealing piggy from farmer too painful task for out-of-shape Toadie."

"If you cannot make the troggles build the machine any faster, we might as well put your runty arms to some practical use," Igthorn answered pitilessly.

Toadie was spared answering when the castle doors opened, and Lady Bane stepped out into the garden. She was carrying a goblet which was emitting green smoke, and she was frowning at it slightly.

"Ah, my dear Lady Bane," Igthorn approached her, smiling stupidly. "Your Iggy-poo has prepared a treat for you for lunch…"

"You!" Lady Bane suddenly hollered, pointing, not at Igthorn, but at the old troggle tending to her roses. "Come here this instant!"

The troggle looked apprehensive, apparently wondering what he did to land himself in trouble with Lady Bane.

Once he reached the witch's feet, she bent down, holding out her goblet to him. "Drink this," she ordered.

The troggle shot her a horrified gaze, but did not dare refuse. He gulped in terror, took the goblet in his paw, and drained it quickly, looking as though he wanted to get the effect over with quickly.

Lady Bane and Igthorn watched in anticipation, Toadie in apprehension. After a few seconds, the troggle gave a terrible shriek, clutching his stomach as he sank to his knees. Then he clutched his head and wriggled on the ground, whimpering and gasping for breath. Toadie backed away slightly as the troggle strained to raise its pitiful head, his eyes tearing and his mouth foaming. He looked as though he meant to beg Lady Bane for mercy, but before he could make another sound, he collapsed and the ground again, his movements becoming fainter until they stopped completely.

Lady Bane stepped closer to the troggle, watching him closely for a moment. She groaned in frustration. "He's dead," she told Igthorn. She then pointed her finger at the troggle's body and magically lifted him into the air, then tossed the body over her garden gates. "You," she turned to Toadie, who gasped in horror. "Go tell my other troggles to dispose of the corpse."

Toadie looked rather sickened by this order and glanced at Igthorn as though hoping (rather foolishly, he had to admit to himself) that the latter would get him out of this task, but as the Duke glared at him he ran back into the castle.

Igthorn was more troubled by Lady Bane's bad mood than by what he had just witnessed. "My Lady?" he asked nervously. "Did that potion not have the effect you wanted?"

"No," Lady Bane said furiously. "It's working too fast. Any Gummi bear that drinks it will be dead before they can be tortured into telling me anything."

"Is there-er-no other way to torture the bears slowly?" Igthorn asked.

"Not without risking having them lose their minds and rendering them unable to tell me anything," Lady Bane replied, absent-mindedly following Igthorn to the table and sitting down. She barely looked at him as she spoke. "The potions book warns me to use a protective substance to slow down the fatal effect of the potion, but I was hoping to find a way around that."

"Why, my dear?" Igthorn asked. "What is the protective substance?"

Lady Bane looked disdainful. "A piece of the victim's loved one," she answered. "This is a problem, since it will require brewing a specially made poison for any of the Gummi wizard and witch we can capture, and we don't know who their loved ones are, the only exception being the wizard you might have killed!" She stood up in a sudden rage, shoving the silver platter with the roasted pig onto Igthorn's lap, causing the Duke to jump.

Igthorn tried to think of something to say to calm the witch down, but both were soon distracted at the sound of Toadie's excited yell.

"DUKEY!" Toadie rushed into the garden, followed by two troggles.

Lady Bane glared daggers at Toadie as he ran toward Igthorn and threw himself at the Duke's leg. Igthorn glared at him, grabbing him by the ears and lifted him to eye level. "You'd better have a good reason for disturbing us, Toadwart," he said threateningly.

Toadie gulped. "Dukey, trusty troggles just finished building Gummi machine."

Igthorn shot an expectant glance at Lady Bane, pleased to see that she too, seemed excited by this news.

"Excellent," Lady Bane smiled. "We must head for Gummi Glen at once." With that, she headed for the castle door.

Igthorn smiled too, dropping Toadie on the ground. "Quick, Toadwart, if we are to search the bears' old home, we'll need supplies. Find as many sacks, parchment and quills as you can, and don't keep Lady Bane waiting!"

Toadie smiled slightly as he got to his feet, relieved he finally managed to deliver news that had pleased his boss. "Come on, guys," he told the two troggles.

The troggles did not immediately follow. They seemed exhausted from working on the machine for so long. They were both staring hungrily at the pig now lying on the ground beside Igthorn's chair.

Igthorn glared at Toadie again. "Haven't you learned to control these troggles by now?" he demanded.

Toadie gulped. "Of course, your Dukeyness," he replied anxiously. He turned back to the troggles. "Come on, diligent Toadie feed you after fulfilling the wishes of his Dukey!"

"Dukey! Dukey!" the troggles, repeated, now motivated to do Toadie's biding.

"DON'T CALL ME DUKEY!" Igthorn hollered after the troggles as they followed Toadie into the castle.

* * *

><p>As noon drew near, the streets of Ursalia grew quieter and quieter, the hot sun keeping most of the inhabitants indoors. While the new house the Glen Gummies had settled in provided shade, the cooling was less than satisfactory, what with the vents still being rusty and blocked by decades' worth of dust. It did not help, in addition, that the house was on the ground instead of under it. Grammi seemed most irritated by this, having to spend almost an hour bending over a hot stove as she prepared lunch. It was probably for this reason, or so Tummi thought, that Gruffi had chosen to work as far away from the kitchen as possible that day. Thankfully, this included unclogging the vents.<p>

Tummi watched wearily as Gruffi stood on top of a ladder, shoving a broom into the narrow vent beside the main staircase. It might have been dull work, but Tummi was sure it would be over faster if Gruffi would only allow him to do more than sweep the mess he made or hand him this and that tool.

"Uh, Gruffi, don't you think that's enough for now?" Tummi asked. "It's almost lunch time."

"Would you rather be late for lunch or suffocate in this heat?" Gruffi asked in annoyance.

Tummi thought this over. "Is that a trick question?" he asked innocently.

Gruffi rolled his eyes. "Listen, Tummi, the Ancient Gummies never put off important jobs. If we ever want to go back to our normal lives, we have to put some elbow grease into this house. Plus, you want to get it in shape to invite friends over, don't you?"

"Yeah, but we've been at it for days," Tummi reminded him. "And the house will still be here after lunch."

"If you want to speed things up, why don't you try asking Gusto when he'll finally come back to help us?"

"I already did," Tummi replied, somewhat crestfallen. "He says he still needs a few days to settle in to his new studio, but after that…"

"It's just as well," Gruffi muttered to himself. "He'd probably just cover the place with another absurd paint job instead of fix it."

Before Tummi could reply, Grammi arrived at the entrance hall.

"Aren't you two finished with the vents yet?" she asked impatiently. "The kitchen is boiling."

"Does that mean lunch is ready?" Tummi asked hopefully.

Annoyed, Gruffi slammed the broom against the inside of the vent with more force than he meant to. This resulted in a huge pile of dust spilling out. Grammi just managed to jump out of the way as the dust hit the floor, but Gruffi was thrown off balance. Tummi quickly caught him just as Gruffi fell from the ladder.

"Are you all right, Gruffi?" Tummi asked in concern.

Gruffi glared at him, ready to give an irritated reply, when he felt a cool breeze blow his way. Apparently he had just unclogged the vent with his moment of aggression. "Well, I'll be bounced!" Gruffi exclaimed. "It actually works!"

"Great," Grammi replied sarcastically, staring at the dirt pile. "And what were you planning to do about that?"

"A moment ago, you were complaining about the heat!" Gruffi shot at her.

Grammi glared at him, but bit back the reply that came to her mind. She had to admit to herself it was a relief to have proper ventilation at last. "Fine. Just make sure you clean this up after lunch."

Tummi beamed at her, ready to follow the older bears into the kitchen, when they heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it," Grammi told them. She approached the door and opened it, finding herself facing a pretty young Gummi with dark red hair and light reddish-brown fur.

"Hi," the girl smiled at her.

"Oh, hi!" Grammi replied, suddenly feeling more cheerful. "You're Ginger, right?"

"Right," Ginger replied. "Is Tummi home?"

"Sure, dear," Grammi smiled at her. "Come on in." She stood back to let Ginger pass. "Sorry about the mess, we're still working on the house."

"I know," Ginger smiled in understanding.

"Hi," Tummi smiled as he approached her, holding out his paw to shake hers.

Ginger approached him and hugged him. "Hi back," she beamed.

Tummi blushed slightly at this warm welcome, but looked pleased all the same. "Uh, Ginger, these are Gruffi and Grammi," he pointed at the respective bears.

"Nice to meet you," Ginger told the older bears, who smiled back at her. "Tummi's told me all about you."

"The others aren't here," Tummi explained. "They left for Dunwyn this morning with Councilor Mysti."

"They did?" Ginger asked, surprised. "I thought the chief councilor would want to meet the humans eventually, but this soon?"

"Apparently," Grammi told her. "I can't say I blame her, I'm sure we all want to know how long you'll be staying with us in Ursalia, right?"

"I guess," Ginger replied. "But I thought the other councilors would want to discuss it more before taking action."

"They can't discuss what they don't know, though," Gruffi replied. "Can they?"

Ginger shrugged. "Oh, well. We'll see what happens when Councilor Mysti comes back."

"I suppose," Grammi replied. Then she remembered her manners. "Would you like to stay for lunch, Ginger?"

"Just don't let Gramm's cooking scare you away," Gruffi added.

Ginger restrained herself from laughing when she caught the look Grammi shot Gruffi. "Uh, actually, I came to invite Tummi over for lunch," she said. "Larken has made more spinach pie than we can possibly eat ourselves, and I thought maybe we can tour Ursalia together."

"Well, Tummi's still got to help me with…" Gruffi began, but Grammi stepped on his foot.

"Of course, dear," Grammi smiled at Ginger. She then smiled at Tummi. "Tummi, if you want to go, just make sure you're home for dinner."

Tummi beamed at her, then turned to Ginger. "So, is Larken joining us this time?" he asked, unsure what answer he preferred.

"No," Ginger answered, apparently in resignation. "She says she's too tired. Not a big surprise, she's been keeping herself busy with the house since we got there."

"I know how she feels," Gruffi replied. "Is _she_ at least getting the help she needs at home?"

"_Now_ he wants my help," Tummi whispered to Ginger, who again tried not to laugh.

"Don't worry," Ginger told Gruffi. "I'll have Tummi back to help you in a couple of hours."

"Go on," Grammi told the young bears. "Have a good time."

Tummi smiled in gratitude, and lead Ginger out of the house.

Once they were gone, Gruffi rounded on Grammi. "What did you do that for? The kids are never going to learn responsibility if you keep making it easy for them to goof off!"

"Oh, pipe down, Gruffi!" Grammi retaliated. "You're the one who never lets the kids take on heavy responsibilities when they're willing to help! Besides, how often does Tummi get the chance to just go out with another Gummi friend?"

Gruffi opened his mouth to argue, but couldn't think of what to say. Much as he hated to admit it, Grammi was right. "Fine. Let's just have lunch." With that, he headed for the dining room.

"Fine," Grammi replied coldly, heading for the kitchen to bring the food.

As Gruffi sat at the table, he heard Grammi call out, "tell the others lunch is ready."

Gruffi looked around. "What others? They're all out, remember?"

Grammi arrived at the dining room, carrying an asparagus pie and stopping abruptly at the table before putting it down. "Oh, right," she said awkwardly. "I forgot." She finally put down the pie, muttering "force of habit" under her breath.

Gruffi reached out to cut himself a piece of pie, avoiding Grammi's eye. Neither of them spoke for several minutes. It was the first time, they realized, that they were alone together since their fight.

Unable to stand the silence, Grammi asked, "should we invite Gusto over for lunch?"

"No," Gruffi answered, determined to keep his voice casual. "You know if he wants to eat with us he shows up on his own."

Grammi gave a small nod and continued to eat her pie in silence.

Several moments later, Gruffi spoke up. "What about Thornberry?"

"I asked him earlier," Grammi replied. "The Barbics already invited him."

Gruffi sighed and stared at his now empty plate. He did not realize he had finished his pie. He glanced at the clock on the wall. "It can't be this early," he thought out loud. "That clocked must've stopped."

Grammi followed his gaze. "No, it's twelve thirty," she told him. "I saw the clock in the kitchen before I brought the pie."

"I thought it was much later," Gruffi confessed. "Lunch was never over this fast."

"That's because there's no one else here to talk to," Grammi reminded him.

"Oh, right," Gruffi sighed. He watched Grammi for another moment, unsure of whether he wanted to leave the table or try to talk to her. Judging by her expression, she was feeling the same way. Finally, Gruffi decided to break the ice. "You know, I think everything that's happened lately made us all a little crazy."

"I guess," Grammi agreed, simply because she did not know how else to kill the silence.

Gruffi braced himself for what he said next. "I know it was stupid to jump to conclusions about, you know, the other night."

"It sure was," Grammi agreed. He face was still a bit cross, but her voice was softer.

Gruffi sighed again. "I guess I didn't think it through. I just didn't expect something like that to happen to me. Getting drunk, that is. Too many things were just out of the ordinary lately."

Grammi groaned, but her expression softened now too. "Well, I guess I have been angry about it long enough. I'm sorry about the things I've said, I guess it was pretty harsh of me."

Gruffi gave her a faint smile. "At least today we managed not to fight in front of the others."

Grammi smiled too. "Yeah, small comfort." Her face fell slightly now. "I think you're right about moving here getting to us. I was too busy worrying about Zummi and the kids that I didn't realize how this was all affecting me."

"And it just made you this irritable?" Gruffi asked.

"Sort of," Grammi admitted. "After all we've been through, when we heard the Great Gummies were considering their options, it just became so important for things to go well, for all our sakes. That mishap with the punch just got me too high-strung."

"Well, I guess you had a right to lose it a little," Gruffi told her, sounding unusually gentle. "Until it happened, you handled yourself better than any of us."

"What do you mean?" Grammi asked, surprised to receive such kind words from Gruffi.

"You know," Gruffi told her. "Whenever Zummi had an anxiety spell, or the kids would worry about him or get upset about the change, you were always the one who knew how to comfort them. I never knew what to say to them."

Grammi smiled again. "Well, if tonight's an indication, you're getting better at knowing what to say."

Gruffi blushed slightly, but before either bear could say more, they heard another knock on the door.

Grammi laughed. "Maybe one of the others has made a new friend we don't know about."

"I'll get the door," Gruffi told her, getting to his feet.

"We'll both go," Grammi followed him to the entrance hall, curious to see who their visitor was.

Gruffi opened the front door, and was slightly taken aback. Councilor Stratus stood on the other side, looking more severe than ever.

"Good afternoon," the elderly councilor said, though he did not seem to mean it. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Gruffi quickly composed himself. "Uh, no. Come on in, Councilor."

Grammi also felt a bit flustered by Stratus's visit, not least because of the mess by the staircase, but she tried her best to remain calm. "Can we offer you a drink, Your Honor?"

"No, thank you," Stratus replied curtly. "I won't be staying long."

"Well, what can we do for you?" Gruffi asked.

Stratus eyed them both through his monocle. "Councilor Mysti has been here this morning, hasn't she?"

"Yes, Sir," Grammi answered. "She left with Zummi and the kids about two hours ago."

"Do you know where they have gone to?" Stratus asked.

Gruffi and Grammi exchanged uncomfortable looks. "You…you don't know?" Gruffi asked.

"Know what?" Stratus asked, his tone a bit threatening.

"They left for Dunwyn," Grammi replied, confused. "I didn't realize Councilor Mysti didn't mention it to…to anyone else."

Councilor Stratus continued to look suspicious. "Has she spoken to either of you about going?"

"She spoke to Zummi yesterday," Gruffi answered, his own suspicion rising. "Why? Is there a problem?"

"Possibly," Stratus answered. "She went to meet the humans, is that right?"

"Yes," Grammi told him. "Well, it's necessary if she means to promote peace with the humans, isn't it?"

"Do you know when they will be back?" Stratus asked, ignoring Grammi's question.

"Not exactly," Gruffi said, feeling more concerned by the minute. "In a few days, I guess."

"A few days," Stratus muttered quietly, apparently to himself. "Did you say your cubs left with them?"

"Yes, Sunni and Cubbi," Gruffi told him.

"They wanted to see their friends in Dunwyn," Grammi explained.

"I see," Stratus replied, thinking this over. "Well, I won't trouble you tonight, then. I will stop by when they come back." He retreated towards the door.

"But surely Councilor Mysti will tell you about anything important that happens in Dunwyn," Gruffi said, trying his best to sound polite.

Councilor Stratus paused for a moment. "If she does, there is nothing for you to worry about." He opened the door. "I'll let myself out." And he did.

Gruffi and Grammi stared at each other again, momentarily lost for words.

"What was that all about?" Grammi asked Gruffi.

"I don't know," Gruffi replied. "Strange Councilor Mysti hasn't mentioned anything to the other councilors, isn't it?"

"Should we ask the other councilors if they know why?" Grammi asked.

"No," Gruffi said. "We don't want to start a problem we don't understand. We'd better ask Zummi if he notices anything strange about Councilor Mysti when they come back."

"Easier said than done," Grammi groaned. "We don't know what he should be noticing."


End file.
